


You're a friend right?

by Fandomchild



Series: Two months and a deal [1]
Category: Gravity Falls
Genre: Aromantic Stan, Au made by Gravty-What on tumblr, I think it was called two months and a summonence, M/M, Maybe - Freeform, anyway the story sorta skips around
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-12-31
Updated: 2015-12-31
Packaged: 2018-05-10 14:45:49
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 8
Words: 30,970
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5590249
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Fandomchild/pseuds/Fandomchild
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>He summoned me to help him fix the portal. I agreed to keep him from activating it to soon. Sixer may have failed me as a pawn, but surely his little brother will be easier to fool. After all he's just a pawn,...right?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> My first ever multi-chapter story. This was fun and torture to write over the past few weeks so enjoy.

Two months. Two months since I screwed up and accidently sent my brother through his portal. He calls me for help and I doom him to whatever hell is on the other side of that thing. It’s not like I meant to do it. We were fighting and I pushed him. It was a mistake and…..and……and it doesn’t really matter what it was. All that matters is I find his other journals and bring him back. I just have to bring him back. Then everything will be okay. If I can just bring Ford back.

These thoughts run through Stan’s head as he wanders through the snow covered forest. The snow crunches underneath his feet as Stan traverses across the quiet woods. He walks slowly and looks around for signs of anything being displaced in order to hide something else. He carries in his hands a shovel and his brother’s first journal. After several feet of finding nothing he stops to check the journal again. He carefully reads the pages for any new information, but Stan finds nothing he hasn’t already memorized. He sighs before looking up to the sky to see how long he has until nightfall.

He stares at the cloudless sky for a moment watching as the color changes from a light blue to a fiery orange with a royal violet as an outline. When he begins to see the stars start to appear he turns around to follow the path he made in the snow on his way through. The darkness grows around him until Stan can barely see where he is going. He pulls out a small flashlight and turns it on illuminating the area before its beam. He continues to move until he comes to a small clearing with a wood cabin in the center. As Stan gets closer to his brother’s home Stan passes the homemade signs he made for his tourist trap the ‘murder hut’. 

Stan climbs the stairs to the porch and unlocks the door. Once he’s inside and the door is closed Stan drops both the shovel as well as the first journal before collapsing against the door. He slides down it as his body begins shaking. Stan’s dark brown eyes fill up with tears while his hands reach up into his long hair and take hold. He begins slightly yanking at his own hair in a harsh repetitive pattern as he rocks back and forth a little. His fingers become tangled into his dark greasy locks forcing him to stop his pulling. Once his pulling halts Stan stops rocking and sits there leaned up against a door still holding back the tears while shaking. 

It’s all your fault. You can’t do anything right. First you ruin Ford’s life when you wreck his project. But it was an accident. Then when he calls you for help with his problems you trap him in another dimension, and for what because he was pushing you away again? You deserved it! I never meant to do it! I just didn’t want to be abandoned again! And now you can’t even find those journals to be bring him back from whatever horror you sent him to! You really are worthless aren’t you? But I….. I never meant…..didn’t mean for this…….I can fix it. I’m not worthless. I’m not! ……Am I?

“I’m not. I just need more time. I’ll find the other journals and then I’ll fix it. I can fix the portal it’ll just take time is all. Then I’ll bring him back. I just need more time.” Stan whispers to himself as he tries to calm down from his degrading thoughts. 

Stan sits there shaking as he whispers reassurances to himself. When that doesn’t work he starts trying to control his breathing in order to stop his mini-breakdown. After a few minutes of agonizing attempts to stop his panicked breathing he finally succeeds. He slowly and carefully untangles his fingers from his unkempt hair. Once Stan’s hands are free he wipes his face and gets up from the ground. He picks up his brother’s journal and carries it close to his chest as he staggers into another room. He passes by strange objects of mystic and magical appearance, but he goes on without paying them any mind. Stan reaches his destination in the form of a large bookshelf in the back of the room. He pulls on one of the books causing the whole thing to move sideways against an empty piece of wall revealing a hidden staircase inside. Stan holds the rail as he goes down the staircase to the elevator below and waits as the doors open before stepping inside. As he watches the numbers go down Stan takes another quick look through the journal. His eyes remain on the page until he hears the ding of the elevator reaching its final stop on the third floor.

Stan leaves the elevator and enters a room filled with machinery of all kinds. He walks over to a desk that sits in front of a large glass window. The desk is covered in papers of half written formulas, books on complicated mathematics, and scratch work covered in red xs. Through the window you can see into the other room where the huge portal lies in all its destructive glory. Stan sits at the desk and opens the mathematics book to check some of his formulas on the portal. 

Stan sits there working on the equations for hours rewriting and reworking them all until they look somewhat right to his eyes. He gets up unsteadily and heads to the portal room to work on the portal itself. He starts by checking the lever for any rust or loose wires. Then he goes and opens several of the panels in the back of the portal. Stan checks over all of the components and writes down what he’ll need to replace soon. As he finishes checking the last panel he begins seeing black spots in his vision and decides to head back up before he passes out from exhaustion. He staggers to the elevator and then back up the staircase. After moving the bookshelf back over the doorway Stan sways as he stands there. Realizing he most likely won’t make it to his bed he rushes with the best of his ability to the large comforter in the room and collapses into it. His eyes close as a sigh passes from his lips, and Stan falls asleep.

 

Sunlight shines through a window and lands on Stan’s sleeping figure a few hours later. His eyes move beneath his eyelids as the light hits his face directly. Somewhere in a different part of the house an alarm goes off filling the living room with a faint but annoying noise. With a groan he opens his eyes and looks around still groggy. He gets up from his chair and stretches until he hears his back pop. Stan then heads to the kitchen and begins his morning routine. He turns on the coffee machine and mixes pancake batter as it runs. By the time the coffee is finished brewing in his brother’s old and run down machine he has already finished making a few pancakes. He sits down with his pancakes and begins eating slowly while drinking his coffee in between every few bites. After finishing his breakfast Stan quickly and quietly cleans up his dishes before he heads upstairs to take a shower. 

Once done he gets dressed in a casual outfit and then heads back downstairs. He finds his brother’s journal by the chair he slept in. Grabbing it and the shovel Stan heads out into the forest to begin his search for his brother’s other journals in the short amount of time before a bus arrives with the day’s tourists. He walks out noticing the slightly warmer weather and smiles to himself. He wonders into the opposite direction of where he searched last night and repeats the process of searching for signs of anything misplaced. 

As he goes deeper into the forest he starts hearing the sounds of the woods around him. Stan hears the deep voices of dryads’ singing and the skittering of the gnomes underfoot through the brush. Stan’s smile gets larger when he sees from the corner of his eye a harpy cleaning their feathers. It is only when he notices the fairies beginning to fly about does he turn around to head back to the cabin. However as he walks back he notices a section of snow covered ground faintly higher than the rest. He uses his shovel to remove the snow from the top to reveal disturbed dirt. 

Shock colors Stan’s face as his hands shake with excitement and fear as he starts digging. Shovel full after shovel full of somewhat frozen dirt is tossed until a loud clunk is heard. A second or two pass after the cluck before Stan drops to the ground and starts digging with his hands. After a few minutes his shaking hands pulls up a decent sized chest with a hand to match the one on his brother’s journal.

Stan is just about to try and open it when a timer in his pocket goes off. Checking his watch he winces when he sees the time he has before his first tour. Stan quickly checks to make sure the first journal is inside his jacket before grabbing the shovel with one hand and the chest with the other. Once he has the items in a secure grip he takes off in a run through the snow back to the cabin. As he runs the creatures around him panic and run back into hiding. After several moments Stan skids into the clearing where the hut lies only to see the bus drive by the entrance off to the next tourist shop. 

He pants and lets out a sound of annoyance as he watches potential customers drive off still holding the chest and shovel. He heads back inside still panting and closes the door. He drops the shovel on the ground and carries the chest to the table before placing it down gently. Stan pulls out a small pack of tiny pins and begins picking the lock. With each pin placed inside a tumbler is pushed back slowly unlocking the chest until a faint click is heard. Stan’s breathing halts as he opens the chest to reveal one of his brother’s journals. He lifts it out and slides his hand over the gold foil with a number two on it. A grin overtakes his face as a few tears begin to fall while he clutches the book like a lifeline.

After a few minutes of crying mixed with slightly hysterical laughter Stan wipes his eyes and opens the second journal. As he turns through the pages he comes across one for something his brother called creature #326. He stops turning the pages strangely compelled to read through the information on this being instead of continuing to look for the portal’s instructions. He reads as Stanford praises this creature as being a great help to him and his work. In between the compliments Stan reads how to summon this thing. He looks at the strange triangle being and then looks to the bookshelf hiding the staircase to the portal. Stan’s eyes gain a determined glint to them as he searches the house for candles. Once finding enough of them and grabbing his brother’s glasses Stan heads outside.

Now outside Stan begins setting up everything to summon his brother’s ‘friend’. He places Ford’s glasses on the ground and surrounds them by the candles in a circle. Stan then lights each candle one by one until all are lit. After that’s done he takes another look at the creature’s page and then kneels before the circle. From there he begins to speak the incantation to summon this being into their dimension.

“Triangulum, entangulum. Veneforis dominus ventium. Veneforis venetisarium!” He chants loudly as his eyes suddenly glow bright blue.

After saying the initial summons Stan’s whole form starts shaking as the world around him turns grey and still. He’s lips tremble as the words egassem sdrawkcab are forced from his throat. Above him a triangle of black fire appears in the monochrome sky. Once in control of his own body again Stan watches as an eye forms in the middle of the triangle void. He stares as the triangle gains arms, legs, and surprisingly a top hat and bow tie combo. 

"̼͖͖̲̜̳D͎̜̹ị̪̤̙͕̺̥dn̞̕'̤̻̫̞̦̙̤t͓̯̰͟ ̙̙̳̳̜e̗̮x̩͇̥͢p͇̜͖̻̗e̖̻͓͖̠͎c͉̰͈̣̙͞t͙̹̭͎̼̩ ̤̲̪to̝͈ ̪͖b͍͓̭͙̪e̩͚ ̘̤̱̞b̙̰̠͈ac̱k̢̞̜̖̳ ̜̼̼̝̻̯̞h̝͍̣̥e͓͉̣͓r͔͓͉͚e̪̥̞ ͏s̷̞̩̗̭o͕̩ ͇̝̣͙̥̤s̱̝̞͚͠ó̳̤o͚͜n̟.̧̯̥͚ͅͅ T̡̪̮h̳̻̣̺̻e̟͓̤ n̜̻͞a̧̫͈m̹̮e̠̪̥͖'͙̖̤̖ͅs̯̞̥͖ ͕B̦̞̠il̞̤͚͟l̵̖͔ C͖̻i̘̕p҉ḩ͖͉̪̱̱e͇͈̘͕͙̞ͅr̯̟͍̝͍̥ ҉͓̘̠͕̬w͕͍͞h͢a̫̘̤̰̝͝t̟̻ ҉͈c̖̫͖̜̀a̤n̯̙ ͔̟I̷̱͕̞͓̘ͅ ̞̘̭̣͙̲͡d̰̘̙̺̖o̧͕͚͍̞ ̞̖͙͞f͟o̩̪͈r͎͙͞ͅ ̲̫̲̙̗ͅy̸̪o͜u̧͚͕̘  
̹̞͓̘͎̙̘́ ̬̠̖S̹̦̳̟̜t͓̩̳̲̬̲a̸̟n̙̥̼̟l̮͖̖̕e̸͔̲͓̞y̜̫͍̟͍̫̲͜ ̵͖͚̟̹̯̦ͅP̦̩̥͔͕̲̕ị̺̪̥̲͕͘ͅn̴̩͈͚e͔̯͙̼̹̼̞s̙͈͕̤̯?̸"͔͙͞ Cipher asks in his distorted nasally voice as he floats down to Stan’s level.

“I need your help.” Stan answers a little freaked out by how ‘Bill’ already knew his name. 

“Le͡ṭ̤̲͢ m̧̞̣̞̙̦̼͖e̷͙ ͕g͉̲̼͇ͅu̺̕ẹ͜s̨̰̹͇̫̲s̤̲͎̪̺ ̦̯̪̻̣y̝̱̜̜̝͉̭o̴u͔͉̣ ̤̮͚͕͍n̬͡e̘͍ẹ̷̟̲̲ͅd̶̩̱͉̫̳ ̵̤h̜͓̠̻̻̜e̲̥͙͕͕͕̦l̥͔̖̰̀p҉͚̙ ̟̠͚ͅr̸͚̲̩͇̳e҉s̯̗̦̤͟tar͠t̡̜̮̭̝̞ͅi̧͙̩̼̟̫͔̟n̪͚g̲̥̪̗ ̨̝͖̹̦t̰̤ḩ͚̞͎͔̫͕at̝̤͓͝ p̙͓̼̮̦o̡͎̜̹̤͉ŗ̲̳͓̮t͖̺̲̦a̼̭̥̙l̰͖̘͖͢,͙͙ ̳̺̘̼͖̦h͙̱̖̥͇̤͚͡ù̳̠͍͓h͖̤͟?̮̱͠ ̣̩̖̙̥͎A͈̼͉͎̖͉̱m̡̭̹ I̬̼̣͢ͅ ͔̕r̲̫̬͘i̝̝gh̜͍t͓ ̵o̸̪͚̯r͏̹̪̰ͅ ͕̭̟̱a̯̟̙̹m̼̲͚͙͘ I̙̜̱̠̪͍̙ ̧͉̘̫͔r̥̬̯̖͚̻i̼g̵̞h̯̱͔̞̣̦̩t̻̕?̠̗̙͢” Bill states as   
his form becomes like a movie screen and plays over the moment when Ford was sucked into the portal.

“Yeah, guess you really are all knowing, huh?”

"͝W̯̮͎͇e͕͇̩͓͈̘l̲̻͖̣̞̠l̼͓͓̳͠,̻̩̣̱̠͞ ̟͈̼̕ͅg͘i̗͇͖v̠͉̼̞̖i̘͖͍̰͎͝n̺g̡̫ ̵͚i͖̯̫͔n̛̟f̰̝̺͍̙̥o̱͍̘r̡͈̳̰̭̻̬̬m̡̜̪͓̣̼a̳̗̬̪t͟i̹͢on͔̻͖̳̘ ̻͕̗̟w̱͉͔̖̰̞͟a̶̠s ̡̩̻̻̥̖͖̠a͍̱͔ ̷p̘̜a̴̺̣r̰̦̗̣̖̝̝͠t͎̹͎̥̗̰̕ ̲͖̫̙͔͢o̵̜͇̖f̪̫͈͍̩͇ ̰͍̫̩̥̱͎m͠ý͓͍̫͈̟̦̣ ̫̙͜dẹ͖̭̮̭a͟l̜̜͢ ̗̱̻͎̕w̟̳i̪͔̦̖t̜͝h͚̬̣̟̺̺͉ ͈S̬̪̤͙̬̻̮i̳̥ͅx̤̙̞̜͡er͓̳̬͙.̛̹͈̭̱̣ ̩̳͝S̶͙̣͖p̻̺͕̮͕̲̭e̸͕̦̺̥a̡̘k͕͔̯̰͖̮͠i̩̺̺n͝g̝̞̺͈̤̺̙ ̙͍̮̠̼͓o͎̭̯̘̞̫f͖̗͔̳̀ ̲̪̜̤͓̰̤́d̙̝͉͈͎͓ea͏͖͙̪̝͙l͎̥͈̦̖̫̖s͙͇̤̩.̯̤͈̱̙ͅ.҉͉͖͓.̣̬̣̭́.̘̥.̵͈̲͖̝͖"̥̳̖͕͇̼̫

“Right sorry.”

"̶Ḥ̘̩̙̮̱̪o̝͉̲̼̝̤̩w̝̮ ̧̰̬a͏͚͚͚̼͔̘b̖̻o̞͉̟͇̦ut̺͚͉̫̺̭̝ I͕̘͈̜̝ ̥̩̼̬h̟̞̞̪͝e̺͕͎͇̙͍̝lp̦̟̘̪ ̥͍̫̺y̳̝̟̰o̦̪̠͉͎͎u̥̱͓ ̠̱͉̭̫̞̹w̘̙͎̱͘ͅi̖t̼̟͍́h̫͞ ̲̦̯̕t͓̺̺͔̯̞͕h͎̳̖̼̺̜͞e͎͓͉̠̩͜ ̠̱̲ͅp͔͎͇o̩r̹̻t̰͍̫̝͠ą̤̙̯̘̭̩̤l ̢̝̗͉͕ͅa̤ͅṋ̗̯͉ḓ͕͍̝̥̲̳͜ ͈̱͇̪̜i̬̳͎͉̘̥n͏̼̥̪̘̖ͅ ͖̯r̟͇̭̻̳͙e̦̟̼̖t͇̭̘̭̺u͍͙͓r̢̥̯̲̲ͅͅn͓̬ I̧ ̨͚͓̰͕̯c̻̝a̻͍ͅn ̻̣t̪͙͚̦̻a̬̟̺k̤e̪̞ͅ ̵̜͇c̨̪̻̭͎͍̦o̺̹͕͞n̬̯̤̠̰̙͝t̘̠̱̳r̮̮̣͔̭̤͍͢o̱͉̭̟͙͠l̗̞̰̦͇͞ ͚͙̕o̧͙͔̩̫̭͕ͅf̗̳̝͓̦͝ͅ ͙̺͎y͚̦͔o͓̼ų͚͈̬̟̞̱ ̡̣̺e̛̘̫̣̳v͉̹̮͈̮̲ḙ̗̠r̟̀y̧̟̮̖̖̹   
͘o͇̳̠̜͠ͅn͓c͕̘e̟̥͚͔̱͕ ̢̬̯̗̠ͅi̼̹͓̦̦͖͢n҉ ̡̙̼̩͔͎a̤͕w͏̘h̡͚̮͔il̶̬̯͔͕ȩ,͈̝̝ ̪͓̱̦̰̬̤s̹͘o̴̞̯̤͉ͅu̲n̵d͙͓̫͜ ̤̱̙l͇͉͕̼̥̰i̠̬̯̬̯ͅk̛̖̜̻̠̻e̦̭̞̯̳̟ ̸̝̣̭͓a̤͖̠̦̭͙ ͈̖̹̜d̦̫̲̟̺̻e͠a͇͙̯͘ḻ͎̣̲?̢̞̪̭̤͚ͅ"

“Like possession?” 

"̸̰̬̣̱̜̣Y̲è͙̣͓̰̪p̵̟̲̹͉̲,̩̳͓͚͔́ ͈͜ju̠s̬̝̭̼͈t̫̥̫̱͡ ̷̩̞͓l̡͖̫̟̟̯i̯͖̜̺̭̬ͅk͎̪͕͍̖e̩̥̳̭͚̮ ͍i̲̙̬̬͠t̻̱̳͉̦͈̟́.̻ ̩̯͉̩̻̖S̟͉̜͇̭ǫ̬̭̖̫̻̟̫ ̧͎̤̲̟̱w̳͙̰h̲̣̠̞͚́ͅa̗̠̙͚̣̘͝t̛ ̸d̴̘̯̜o͏̭ ͍ͅy͎̠̺̬͍̫͖o̧̼͉̙̝͎u̟̼͠ ̶̥s͇͕͡a̝̹͕̥̯̻y̖̦,̴̖ ̮̖͖͔S̘̱̝̺̘ț̤͔̥͎̼a̵̗̪̤n̡̹ ͈̖͓͉̥̦͡P͈͕̣͔͍̬̼i̬̺̖n̗̭̻̞̯͇͜e̶̟̬͖͔͓̠s̗̹̀?҉͈͉̻̣̺̬̬"̱̩

“How about you can only possess me until I bring Ford back safe and sound, and you can’t do any permanent damage to my body while you’re in it.”

"̳̱͓Ḫ͚ȩ̦̪͓͚̯̩h̫̮͉͚̹͚͜,̭͍̫̯͔̬ ͇̣͚͍́i̶̼̱̣͖t͔͎'s͉̝̱̗̞̀ ̯̤̫͝n͜o̰̙t̗̺̳̱̹̩ ̟̞o̴͖̯̪̘͓f͎̠͘t͕́e̸ͅn ͏͍̫ͅÌ̖͚̖̫̘͓̼ ̘͈͚̩̗̀g̝̦̮̣͎̝e̻͓t ̝̟̼s̴̹͕̫̙͍͚͇o͇̣̥̬̲̞͇m̱̻͍͙e̦̩o̢n̨̰̻̦̖ḙ̗͓̳̠̙͍͞ ṣ̜̺m̨a̳͔̖̳r̻̱̜̟t͚̖͚ ẹ̺̝̯̠ͅn͕̖͎͢o̱̱u̷̦͇̯̥̤̠̘g͈͉̰ḫ ̧̼̞͎̬͉t͖̜̮̗̙̬ͅo̥͕͍̼͡ ̳͈̻p͖͟u̯̟̘̙̭̥͘t̜̩͍͖̻͠ ̠s̗͕̀t͘i̷p̛̱͍̟͖ú̟̫̞̭̙̥̬l̫̪̼̼̻a̝̝͉ț͡i͓o̪̲͇n͍̦̩͓s ͏̘̹̜ͅo̸̙n̦̮͓̜͉̟͉ ̗̯̱̤̝͠ͅa ̞͔d̖̙̘̻̬̘e͖a͓͕̩l̩̟̮ w̝i̠t̲͈ͅh̙̭̤͔̪ ̯̹̬m͕͓͚̖ͅe͍̬̭̘.̘́"̙̞͈̜͡ͅ

“Are you gonna say yes or not?” Stan asks nervously as he holds out his hand to Cipher.

"̜͍̞̤̹̭̖W̳̝e̷̝̲̹̤̮͕ͅl̢̺̟͈l̙͓̩͓͙̝̯ ̥̞̣̳͢i̘̱̲̤̩̭̗f̥̤̹͢ ̦̜̮͈̖ͅI̴͚̦̟̥̟ ̜̦͝d̤̭̯̭͇id͕̟̬̠̟͓̬ṇ̯͞'̥̩͕͞t͈͙̣̘̟,w҉͖̖ḩ͇o̪͡ ̝̱̯̙̥͖͙k͉̫͖͇̥̬͇no͏̬̖̭͎̞w͙ͅs̢͓̲̖̣̤ ̨̦͔͍͈̠̲h̗̞͞o̠w̬̦͎̖ ̺̯̮͓͜l͢o̯n̺̜̞̤ͅg̢̙͈̣ i̮̮̗̻͓͇̞t̳̥͍͙͈͟ ̹̱͟ẃ̫̪o̜͎͈̝͢ųl̹̲̙̤̕d̦͙̮ ̨̭̲̺̝t̫͙͕̝̝͠a͇̮̞̱k̻̖͓̳̩e͙͓̰͇ͅͅ ̝̘̺̠͈̀y̷o̶͓̤̲̟͓ͅu̹̙ ̟̠̞̱͍̘̫ț̩̬̳͖͝o̝̜͍ ̗̠͝f͍͙̮̘̫̻̼i͜x ̶̼͙t̺͉̰̥̩h̻̪̣͕͘a̴t̤̺̦̤͙̙̻ ̶͚̫͇̯̠th͇͓͕̤͕̬͙i͏̼̠̥̦̞ṇ̻͓g̬.̙̱"̴̼̻̩̜̤̗͎ Bill laughs out as he takes Stan’s hand with his own blue flamed covered one.

“So it’s a deal then?” Stan asks as the world starts to become colorful again.

"̗̳̮̼̟̼U̲̯̦͖͔͔͜ͅn͕͇̩̱̰͜ţ̥i̸̱̟̦̪͇̪͖l̜ ͠ẁ͓͎̭͙e͙̳̦̲̰̙ ̩̙̲̤b̡̝̻̪̩̯ri҉͉̤͈͙n͉̪̪̪͍̳g ́t̨̥̪̟̗̞h̵̝͚͕̖̩̙a͕͓̼̳͍̙͖ṭ̡̝̙͕̻͕ͅ ̗͕̯͍ͅb̢̪r̖̺̪o̝̻͔̰͜t̠̯̬̲̣h͜e̩͝r̙̥ ̲̭͉͜o̘͢f̮ ̘̻͓̘̹̦y͇̭̬̹̯o̡̼͙͈̙̤u͔̹̫͉̞r͖̘̞̭̕s̝̞̻ ͎͎͈b͚a͚͚c̹͢k̀.̭͔̤̪̺͟"̻̱͖̼ Bill’s voice fades until Stan is gasping awake in the   
grass outside the shack.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Bill's translations in order  
> Didn't expect to back here so soon. Names Bill Cipher what can I do for you Stanley Pines?  
> Let me guess you need help restarting that portal, huh? Am I right or am I right?  
> Well, giving information was apart of my deal with Sixer. Speaking of deals.  
> How about I help you with the portal, and in return I can take control of you every once in awhile, sound like a deal?  
> Yep, just like it. So what do you say Stan Pines?  
> Heh, it's not often I get someone smart enough to put stipulations on a deal with me.  
> Well if I didn't, who knows how long it would take you to fix that thing.  
> Until we bring that brother of your back.


	2. Chapter 1

Stan sleeps fitfully as the sun begins to rise. He screams awake just as his alarm is about to go off. He turns off his alarm quickly and rubs his face of the sweat that accumulated there in his sleep. He gets up unsteadily on his feet to head to the bathroom to get ready for his day of scamming tourists. As he staggers towards the door he passes by a calendar and sees today’s date, May 14, out of the corner of his eye. Stan stands there for a few minutes just staring at the date. After a bit he turns around and goes back to his bed. His breathing is heavy and uneven when he collapses back onto the covers. He begins yanking at his own hair while his eyes fill up with tears. 

Stan’s eyes clench shut in an effort to stop the tears dripping down his face and mixing with the snot coming from his nose. His heaving breathes quiet down to uneven sniffles, but his tugging doesn’t stop. Suddenly two small hands gently take his hands and get them out of his hair. He opens his eyes and sees Bill’s blurry form before him holding his hands in Bill’s own. Stan looks around and sees the world had gone grey while he was freaking out.

“What…..Why are you here, Bill?” Stan stutters out still sniffling as he tries to remove his hands from Bill’s.

"͈̬͢W͠h͢a̧̘͔̖͈͕͕ṯ̩̟̼̲'̦̥̗̻ͅs̞ ̱͈w͎̮̲̬̰̦̳͘r̺͕̭͔̠͚o̷̘̣n͙͎͍̲̩̺ͅg̰͖̪͖͝ ̲̻̦͈̰͚ͅS̛t͙̖͕̝̰̣a̻̹̭n̜̪̲̝̦͍͠ͅ?̰̼̺"҉̹̦̙̺̺ Bill asks in fake concern.

“You’re all knowing aren’t ya? Don’t you know?”

"̯̗̫̺I̴͇̬̩̘͉̜̱sṉ̕'̲̙͎͠t̙̻ͅ ͜t̳̼h̘̩e͏ ̛͔͓̣̮s̙ay̙̻̲̞͞ͅing̢͔̬̜̮̣ͅ ̧t͙̯̤͠a̴̲̞͓l̘̰̬͎͇̝k͟i̻̦n̝͓͔̟͚̰͕g̛̥͙ ̘̮̮͖̥͖ḁ̥b̡̟̜͈͎̹o̰̭͙̭̙͝u͇t͝ ͈͔̥͕į̩̻t̢̗̩̭ ͚̯͍̤͎͔͙h̤͈e̛lp͖͙̺̗̱͜s͝?̞̜̼͇͚̭"̤̘͖͖̬̕

“Shut up.” Stan grumbles out as he hides his face from Bill.

What is wrong with him? He keeps doing this nonsense every few days. He just breaks down and spends the rest of the day in bed in this weird not crying sobbing mix or by going into the forest to pick a fight with something big! All I wanted was a pawn to string along until the rift could be created and then opened. I didn’t ask for the first pawn to figure out my plans earlier than expected, or for the second one to be a broken conman who knows my style of tricks. Urgh, humans are so annoying and confusing!..... But I don’t really have a choice do I? I mean sure I could trick someone else, but it would take so much longer. So I might as well stick with Stan and try to figure out a way to make these days happen less than they do until I need him to open the portal. 

Once finishing his thoughts Bill floats closely to Stan’s face and stays there just waiting. He hovers there only moving to stop Stan from pulling at his own hair every few minutes. When Bill is about to leave and consider today a lost cause Stan turns to face Bill. His eyes look down at his hands before speaking in a pitiful murmur. 

“It’s my fault.” Stan brokenly mumbles still looking away from Bill.

"H̹̜̰͜o̥͕̥͎̣͡w̫̹̹̪͙̼̤ ̪̻͓̖̥̭͚͟şo̘͢?͖̹̫͈" Bill asks already knowing the answer, but waiting for Stan to say it.

“I ruined his life once and now I ruined it again. Hell, he might be dead! I might have killed my own brother! And over what? Him using basic self-preservation to try and save himself from me screwing up his life again? And to make it worse I can’t even figure out how to fix that thing even with you helping me! It’s been three months since I summoned you Bill! Ford has been gone five months total and I’m still no closer to bringing him back! I screwed up everything and….. and…..” Stan trails off and reaching up to mess with his hair again.

"̮̰S̴̱̫͚̠̥t̼̤ò̯̤̖̱̹̗p̺͓͎ͅ ̘̺̭̞̣̀ͅḏ͟o̢͔̠̘̠i͓n̫̬͡g̢̪͍͍ͅͅ ͇t̖̻h̰̳̗͓̺̀a̸t͚̫̬.̳̩̟͔ ͇̞͔̩̰ͅÍ̻ts̲͍̬͈ ͇̼n͓͈͕̗̹̣o̯̫͎̜̪t̨ ͢d͈͓͍̻͖o̬̜̦͉i͕̣͇͚͕̥ͅn̴͇ģ̖̣̖̗̠̤ͅ ͖͚a̝̞̯ǹ̟͎y̡͚̤͔̖̗ṯ̘̳̳̥̘̳͞h͏̝͚͈̖̫͉̼in̼̩̤͖͜ͅg͈̥̤ ̘̲͜hę̫̦͚͇̞ḷp̧̩f̙̜̝͝u̶͔͖̖̩̣͙ͅl̺͍̺̳͕̼̮͠.̶̙̠̜" Bill sighs out as he stops Stan’s hands again.

“Go away let me rot.”

"̲͓͚͍͚̳͓L̰̪̳̮̞̫̩o͍͚͇̟̤ͅo͏k ̸͕I̮̱͍ ̢d̟o̳͜n̡'̙͔̘t̮̻͉̻̱̘ ̤̮w͡a̮n̩̟ͅt̬ ̶͇͇t͇̝̲͓o͙͙̼͎̦͢ ̹͈b̘̥̗͙͚͖͜ȩ̘͉͉̹ ̶̫̭̲̣̖he̵̜͕̞̗̝̻̥r̞̪̕e̬͢ͅ ̟̰̼ei̻̼̦t̼͕̖h̝̜e͖̥̺̳ͅr̮̲,̧̜̮̮͖̭̻̠ ̯͖̬̬̰̺o̬̥͔̤̣̖k̥͓̤̕ͅa͈͍̣͇̖͠y̲?̢͖ ̩B̢͔̥̻̣̬̞u̷͕̤͈̠t̫͓̞͠ ̮͉̗Ḭ̡̰̲͇ ̥n̡̙̥̹̯͖̮e͏̝͕͕e̲̩̺͖d ͔y̙̜o̹͎̬̞̻͍͚u͕͈̬̯̳̗̮͜ ̣̣̗̣̖t̵̮̙͚o̗͙̫̬͡ ̲̮̠̭̙̜̼͡f̠͉͡i̹͙͙̟͍̕ͅx̨͙͙ ̤̣t͠h̞͖͇̣̼ͅat̬̩͝ ̶̰̱͙̩p̜̩͕̰̲o̳r̳̻̣ţ̼͈̘̱͔a̠̲̖̭l̖͔͙̣̹̯͕̀ ̯͡  
̦̪͇d͕̯̝̖͖̰̕ͅò̮͍̙̬͉̥̫w̹n̺̠̲͇͚s͕̥̠̺̯̭̤͢t̹̜̯̻͟a͔̱̪͔̯͡i͔͚̪̫̖͎̕r̯̣̞̝s̷͚̺̦̥ ̦̺̼̹̣s͈̯̳̗͍o̖͉̻͕̼ ̲̙͖̠S͍̪̩i̙̠̘x̻̲̖̦̺̘er̫̗ ̹͈͘c̘̗̩͈̜̯̟a̡̯̹̦̦͙̝ͅn̡̩ ̖͕̺çơ͕̯m̵̯e͖̮ ̫̘̫̗͞bac̡͔͍̫̮̟̱k͈͕̲̳̖.̶̘̪͎ ̭͔͍͈̪̟̬M̵̘̳̱̳̟e̩̦̣̩a̤̙̯ņ̞̠͚i̡n̜͇͉̬͖g̤ ̯̼̦͖͇I ̶̱͇͚͖h̘a̙v͇͚̪̘̬̙͞e̡͙̳ t̷̗͉͕ͅo ̛͈̳̣he̬͘lp̸͍̗̝̫ͅ y̻̤͈̜̫͢ͅo͖̪̺̹ͅu̴ ̩͉̯th҉̜ro̭̫̺ͅu̻g̦̮̮͙̙̘͉h̦͕̞̰̹̯ͅ ̷̯͇y͈̦̻̯̲͚̟o͡u͜r͙̬̙̤̗̩ͅ ̢̠̳̲͙̮͓̤s̳̼̠͈͘t͔̥̗̰͉͢ụ͕̭̠͞ṕ̲͕͉̺͎i͔̩͈̫͍d͕̪͇  
̸͍͎ ̟̥̣̪͙̻h̜̱̞̤̩̻̘u̡̦m͎͓͔͖̤a̝͚̥͉̞n͓͔͈ ̧͍ȩ̻͔̘̼m͕͇̠̱̜o͏t͈̝͇͙͚i̕o̶̪̟̭̘̻ͅͅn̻͙̟̖̹s̞̠̦̥ͅ.̠̮͡"̨̤͖͉ͅͅ

“You insulting my ‘human emotions’ does not make me feel better”

"͓̝͢I̘̦t̬̫͜s̼̜̻ ͔̕n̩̜̗͚ͅot̫͎͔̮̤ ͇̥̼̺̰s͏̹̟͔̯̳̺u̡͕̞̯͕̜̯pp̠͖o͇͔̠͘s̫̪̲̱͍e̩̺̤̙̰͡d͓͕̗̟͇͉͖ ͕t̛̘̮̙̩͙͎̖o̥o.͕̳́ ̖I͓̙̜̦̰͉̤'̼m̛͖ ̟̫̭̘̬͈̠s̯̘̝t͈̗̲̼̠a̛t͍͖̞i̴̜̞n̮̞͉̙ͅg͔̝͇̤͍͎ ̻̫f̗͇̥̟̩̰a͉̬c͔̘̹̼̤̪̣t̝̖s̖̠͝ ̬̫̰̩̫͚̤̀S͚̘͝t̩̰͉̼̲͙̝͞a̵̩̝n͟.͓͔̳͟"̴̝

“Well at least you’re not lying.” Stan weakly chuckles out.

"̗̘̻R̡̜͎̝i̖g͚̝̝ht̛̻, ͏͓̰̣͓̮̦n̳͓̥̹o̢̯̥̬͈ͅw͙͚̮͇̞̺ ̧͚̜l̛͕̪e̦̺̺͕̪̺͢ͅt̯͇̫͖͉̺s ̣̭̟s̟̥͓̜͡e̙e̝̗͍̟͟ ͙͕̝̭̱wh͓͕̘̰̼a̳t͚͓̭̠ ̭̘͓I c̛͇̙͔̥͚ͅͅa̴̪̼̠͕̤̖n̩̣̫̝̼ ̡̠̦̠d̶̩̰ọ̪ ̤͔͈t̨̞̺̦̹̼̭ͅọ̬͜ ̵̳̳͍͙͔̞hel̦̪͢p̜̫̺̪͔̬ͅ ̯̘͓ͅy̥͔̤̪̜̲o̭͕͕̭̪͕u̞͓̤̹̕ ̙͖͚͎o̸̭ų̙̳̞̬̻̼͇ṯ͍̕ͅ.̦͚̬̼̱̰̩.͝.̤̰͓̫̼͎͢.҉͔"̛

“Leave and let me go back to have my weekly break down, maybe?”

"̰͎͟N̹̦̜̦o̡t̥̹̦̠͔̰̱͘ ̸͈̰̹ͅa͎̟̹͖͚͍n͇̼̹̰ ̷̰̞͍̦o̯͎p̘͖̱͜t̀io͇̘̠͕̦n͔̬͈͍̳̘͝ ̵͇͕͖̰̥̣Ș͈͈t̥̜̬̯̮̟̰aṉ͓͘.̖͍̜̣͓̥͟"̱͎͈̪͘

“Then what you isosceles jerk?!” Stan huffs out as his corrupted thoughts are pushed in the back of his mind for now.

"͢Oo͕̤̠͕̻͝o̬͔͍͈̤̕o̻͈͕̟̳̤͡ͅ ̺͕̳̻̻̤I̧͔ ͈̭͇̬̱̜k̖̖̻̳̠n̴̼̻̞̮ọ͓w̢̞͚̱͚͚ͅ ͏͉̲l̷̖̤e̷t͖̜̣̰̟s̭͖̹ ͓͖͕ẃ͙̤̩̱at͙̖̥̰͍͚ͅc͕̼h̠̳̼ ̩̘̪͎͡ą͔ ͙͕h͙̭o͍̞r̵̰̞̦̦̪r͖͓̞̬̗͚͉͟oŕ̯͇̭̰̙ ̵͍̱̯̭̺̺m͈͚̩̜͈̼o͓̹v̨͍i̳͓̲̘ͅe͇̼!̱̲̹̤"̢͍͔̟̥̗̭ Bill exclaims before pulling Stan’s spirit out of his body and taking control of it himself.

“Hey wait! You ass, ask first damn it!” Stan shouts in the once again colorful world.

Stan watches from the mindscape as Bill staggers out of Stan’s bedroom. He grumbles as he follows after his hijacked body. Floating after the uncoordinated path Bill makes in Stan’s body they both end up in the living room. Stan watches as Bill heads into the kitchen and searches the pantries and fridge for specific items. Bill pulls out several cans of Pitt cola and a pan of jiffy’s pops. Stan floats in silence watching as Bill cooks the popcorn over the stove while listening to the cornels crackle. Once finished Bill takes the cooked popcorn and sodas then heads into the living room. Bill collapses on the large chair spilling some off the popcorn as well as dropping a few Pitt colas to the ground. 

“Come on I spent good money on those! Don’t just drop them on the ground.” Stan groans as Bill turns on the TV to find a channel showing movies.

"̣̦̖͔̞̳ͅC̟͔ạ͙̤̻ĺ̗̤̱͓ṃ̱ ͈̱̺̻̳̲͘d̫̻͔̺̣̲̀o̩̣̻͈͟w̤͍̗̗n̕ ̶͎̹̣̜͕S͕̰̙͍̟͇̬t̮̱a̘̞͈̫͟n͏̭̥͇̣͙ ̜á͓͇̮n̘͔̟̟̯d̼ e̹͔̤̭͝n̶̼͙j̫̱̞̯o̮͓̼͕y̨̹̲͖̺̻ ̥̥̻̬̣̣t̘̤͖̜h̤̫̬̺e̯͓̳̤͎͍ ͈̞͍͕̫͞ͅmo̯͙̖v̟i̩̝̹e͍̮̝͓̩͍ ̝̮̰̥͢a̬̭̖͟ͅͅͅļ̻̼̹͙̖̰̗r̰͔̭͖̞̟͓͝i̲̘̺̙̰g̪̤͚ḩ͍̭̙̫͖t͏?̬͜ͅ"͈ Bill exclaims as he pulls Stan’s spirit close to his ‘borrowed’ body and holds him there.

“Let go of me jackass!”

"L̰̬̱̻ó̳̻o̫̥̕k̺͓̣͉̩̦ ̣̙j͈͘u̲̳͙̫̝̭̻͢s̸͈̩t̯̕ ͍̦̞͖̺̖w̺a̖͓̦̗̗͞t̬͍̰̻̼̖c̲̼̭̙̭̩̕h͎̥̱͇̱͖ ͉̹̫̙͓͈̬t̙̤͉͙h͍͘e ̺̼͉̖̮̪m͎ͅò̼v̭̪̭̣͠i̯e͎̗̯͜ ̡̖̬̞̟͖͔a̗̖l̲̺͜r̶̳i̞̻̘̠̙͎g͕h͍̠͉̠̜͝ͅͅt͉̗̮̖?̩̫̙͇̰ ̠͟H͏̰e̠r̵̠̞̱̻̙͎̝e̬̞͟ I’ll even give you control again once I find the right channel, ok? Sound fair?” 

“You changed your voice.” Stan whispers slightly stunned at the transformation.

“No I haven’t. You must be imagining things Stan.” 

“No it has! Before it was nasally and sorta sounded like it was going through a paper jam and radio static at the same time. Now it’s just nasally and annoying.”

“Annoying really? Is that the best insult you got?”

“Shut up,” Stan blushes, “I meant annoying like hearing a cat screech in the middle of the night when you’re trying to sleep, but when you go out to scare it off it runs into your house and never leaves type of annoying.”

“That’s better, see I told you watching horror movies would help your mood.”

“You haven’t even found a movie channel let alone one showing horror movies. In fact,” Stan states looking at the TV from within Bill’s hold, “right now we’re watching something called “Cooking with Toby” or whatever.”

“Huh with his face as it is I thought it was a horror movie. Oh well I’ll find one don’t worry Stan.”

“You still didn’t explain the voice thing.”

“My voice didn’t change.”

“Yes it did!”

“Maybe you’re hearing is starting to fail.” Bill answers as he starts smirking.

“Fine don’t tell me! Why should I care right?!”

After Stan’s small outburst everything returns to the near silence with the only sound being the TV switching channels. As Bill flips through Stan sits there in Bill’s stolen lap as they look for a movie. Its only when they see the screen go red and hear a scream do they stop. Stan watches as credits roll across the screen before a new opening scene starts the new movie. He feels a tug and is pulled back into his own body. He opens his eyes to see the world in a strange monochrome and lively mix. He turns to the floating triangle with his eyebrows raised in question. 

“It’s so I can watch the movie without possessing you, or leaving you alone in your misery,” Bill answers as he turns his one eye back to the screen, “now come on watch the movie with me. It’ll be fun I promise.”

Stan stares at Cipher for a few more moments before a scream from the TV makes him turn his head. He catches sight of a brutal murder of a young man as his girlfriend runs away to hide. He watches as an ax wielding maniac chases the teenager through the woods in typical horror movie fashion. Just when Stan is starting to think the girl is about to die a small hand begins running through his hair. He freezes. His eyes remain locked on the screen, but all he can focus on is Bill’s hand running through his long hair in a gentle manner far different to what Stan was doing earlier to his own locks. He opens his mouth to ask what Bill thinks he’s doing when Bill beats him to it.

“Look I’m only doing this cause you’re stressed out Stan. Even while watching the movie you’re tense. It’s not good for your health and if you get sick it will take longer to fix the portal to bring Sixer back. So sit back and relax for Sixer’s well-being ok?” Bill states indifferent as he continues to mess with Stan’s hair.

Stan swallows and whispers ok before turning back to the movie. Trying to ignore the feeling of tiny fingers going across his scalp slowly and softly. Stan focuses on the murderer killing everyone in sight until he mainly forgets what Bill is doing. Halfway through the movie his eyes begin to droop as the movie continues to play and Bill’s hands keep moving. As the credits roll down the screen Bill looks at Stan to see him sleeping with a small smile on his face as he curls into the cushions of the chair.

“For a conman you sure are easy to trick like this, huh Stan?” Bill sneers as he returns to his nightmare realm.

The living room now again in complete color is quiet except for the occasional scream from the horror movie marathon. After the third movie since Stan fell asleep ends Stan begins to stir. He wakes up quietly and rubs his eyes. He turns and looks to the cookoo clock to see what time it is. He watches a second or two pass before he turns to the mess around him. The bowl of popcorn had fallen to the floor and somehow spilled into the gift shop area while two of the dropped sodas had rolled into the showroom and punctured themselves on something causing red sticky fluid to start staining the floorboards 

Stan sighs as he looks at the mess thinking of how long it’s going to take him to clean all of this up. Just as he is about to start an alarm goes off. He looks again at the clock actually reading the numbers this time and sees that the last tour bus of the day is going to be here in an hour. Wasting no time he runs to a closet and pulls out a broom and a dust pan. For thirty minutes he works to clean up all the popcorn. After dumping that in the trash he starts working on the drying soda in the floor boards with a few soapy rags. He manages to get all the sticky soda off the ground in ten minutes. Checking the clock to see how long he’s got he races to his bedroom to take his long overdue shower. 

Once clean himself Stan runs back to the living room to quickly grab his Fez as he runs out the door. He stops a short ways from the cabin and leans against one of his homemade signs. Just as he manages to catch his breath he sees the bus begin to drive by. The bus driver sees Stan and turns the bus into the clearing. Opening the doors about twenty tourists get off with large smiles on their faces as some of them take pictures of the hut.

“A new batch of suckers,” Stan mumbles before exclaiming loudly, “Hello I’m Mr. Mystery welcome to the Murder Hut where you just might find a truth so strange the shock will kill you!”

Stan smirks as the large group of tourists all gasp and coo at his words. He leads the group inside of the cabin and into the newly cleaned museum. He watches as the group splits up to stare in wonder at his few handmade exhibits. He feels a small tugging on his pant leg and looks down to see a small child trying to get his attention. He raises an eyebrow wondering what the kid wants only for the child to start pulling him to one of his exhibits. Just as he’s about to ask what’s going on the little kid points to a few bloody teeth on the ground that Bill gave Stan a few weeks ago as a joke. Stan flinches as he remembers how cold and wet they felt in his hand before he dropped them in shock at Bill’s laughter. He must have forgot to pick them up and then get rid of them. So now a little kid saw them and is probably freaking out, that’s just great.

“Why do you have bloody teeth on the ground?” the tiny child asks Stan.

“Bloody teeth Vhat bloody teeth?” A tall man most likely their father asks coming up behind them.

“Well, those are……those are teeth from an Alkonost!” Stan lies as more people come closer to inspect the teeth.

“An alkonost? What’s that?” A young woman asks.

“It is like a siren but instead it’s part bird instead of half fish.” Stan answers the young woman.

“Vhy do you have the teeth of an Alkonost?” The father asks.

“Well I regularly go through the woods to find new things to show the fine people who come here, and one day as I’m walking I hear a beautiful song. So naturally like any curious guy I try to find the source and maybe bring them back for everyone to hear. However as I got closer and the song became clearer I started to forget things.” Stan weaves his tale quickly captivating his audience with his story of lies.

“Forget things?” An elderly man questions.

“Yep, with each step suddenly information I always knew just vanished as if it never was. The name of my mom, the age I was when I got my first date, even my birthday you name it and I was starting to forget it. Finally when I got to where the thing was singing from I didn’t remember anything”

“Hov did you escape its pover?” The father asks suspicious of his tale.

“That’s just it! There I am staring at this half lady half bird thing listening to its enchanting song when my alarm goes off!”

“Your alarm?” A teenager questions.

“Yep you see I carry an alarm with me when I go into the forest so I don’t stay to long and miss the chance to give tours to all you nice folk.” Stan informs them all while lying on the charm thick. 

“But how did your alarm save you?” A young man wonders curiously.

“It interrupted the song of the Alkonost meaning my memories came back to me, and once they did let me tell you I was mad.”

“So then you went and beat it up?” The young woman questions.

“I prefer the term defended myself. Once it realized its song was no longer working it started to attack me with its talons. So I had no choice but to fight back against it.”

“So that’s how you got those teeth.” The teenager reasoned from the story.

“Yep.” Stan answers happy that they believed his lie.

“But then why were they on the ground.” The child that started it all asks wisely.

“Well umm. Uh…,” Stan stutters before a lie forms in his head, “I was going to clean them and then sell them to imaginative tourists like you, but they must have fallen out of a hole in my pocket. Business hasn’t been so good lately due to so many people no longer believing in the wonders of the world so my clothes are getting kinda raggedy.”

“Oh you poor thing,” An old woman gasps before whispering to her husband, “We can find something for Martha here don’t you think? So to help him out with his money issues.”

“Anyway now that you all have heard my frankly embarrassing story of why I have bloody teeth on the floor why don’t we continue with the tour?”

The crowd agrees and he finishes showing them other rooms filled with his taxidermy nightmares that somehow pass for the supernatural. After he tells the last story behind one of the creatures he leads them back to the entrance where the gift shop lies. He watches as the teenagers check out the bumper stickers and ‘crystals’ while the elderly couples look at the homemade stuffed animals shaped like monsters for their grandchildren. Stan is about to walk over to the cash register to talk up the young woman looking at one of his ‘crystal’ necklaces when a hand grabs his shoulder. He is turned around to face the father of the kid who found the teeth.

“I knov you lied.” He whispers to Stan.

“What no I didn’t.” Stan answers quickly hoping his panic doesn’t show through.

“The Alkonost vould not have left its home land of mother Russia. Plus these are human teeth.”

“Hey look I can explain……”

“No need, my little one is curious but sometimes they are too curious yes?”

“Yeah right….. So you aren’t going to like call the cops or something?”

“No. Even if it vasn’t true the story you told vas good and little one liked it so you are ‘in the clear’ as they say. Also vhy should I judge vhy you have teeth on your floor? It’s not my home.”

“Thanks, I think.” Stan responds still a little wary of the father who saw through is lies.

“Daddy can we get this please?” the small child asks as they come over to show their father a small book on folk tales of supernatural creatures.

“Hov much?” He asks his child as he looks over the book.

“Five bucks.” Stan answers for kid as he walks to the cash register.

“Hmmmm Alright little one anything for you.” The father agrees as he follows Stan to the register.

Stan checks out the father and his kid hurriedly hoping to get the perceptive man out of his shack. Once they leave Stan lets out a sigh of relief and heads over to try and scam more money out of the other tourists. He manages to get a total of four hundred dollars from everyone left in the room. As the vacationers exit Stan waves goodbye offering them to come back anytime to his hut of the strange and wondrous. He laughs after the bus drives off thinking about how much money he made from those suckers. Walking back inside he flips the sign to close then heads to the bookcase leading to the stairway into the basement.

“Maybe I should change what’s hiding the staircase. People are asking questions about why there’s a bookshelf in the gift shop.” Stan mumbles to himself as he waits in the elevator. 

Stan exits the elevator entering the control room of the portal. All of his thoughts are silenced as he stares through the glass at the portal that his brother fell into. In the blankness of his mind Stan’s fears from earlier this morning grow and try to consume his thoughts. Just as Stan’s hopeless is about to take hold the world around him goes grey. Stan is brought back from his unhealthy thoughts as Bill snaps his fingers in front of his face. 

“Hey there Stan I noticed you getting a bit distracted need any help?” Bill asks already knowing the answer.

“Yeah, sorry. Okay so what should we work on today.” Stan responds as he focuses back on the task at hand instead of his concerns.

“Well we should check that the fuel tubes leading to the power source for the portal isn’t damaged in any way.”

“Right which ones are those, again? There are like five different things leading in that general direction that fit that description.”

“It’s the grey one Stan.”

“They’re all some form of grey Bill that’s not very helpful.”

“No they’re not.” 

“Yes they are Bill just tell me which one you mean.” Stan sighs getting frustrated with Bill’s attitude. 

“Sheesh Stan I was just joking with you. It’s the one with coming from the tank that holds the nuclear waste.”

“Nuclear waste? This thing runs on nuclear waste?”

“Yep.”

“Why?”

“It’s a powerful substance Stan therefor making it perfect to power the interdimensional portal with.”

“Ok, I guess.” Stan mumbles still confused but dropping it.

Bill watches as Stan follows the fuel pipe checking for any holes or loosened parts. It’s a slow process since Stan had to disconnect it from the power source and then run water through the pipes to test them. When finding several of the pipes leaking Stan cuts them away and welds new pieces to replace the damaged ones. It takes several hours but Stan manages to repair the pipes. Once finished he empties the tank of any remaining water left inside from his work then reattaches the pipe to the power source.

“Ok now what?” Stan asks worn out from welding and moving pipes.

“Well next we need to recalibrate some of the equipment in the control room.” Bill answers as he floats into the other room the world taking on more color but still grey enough that Stan can still see him.

“How would I do that?” 

“Just follow my instructions alright?” 

“Fine what’s first?” Stan asks as he opens up the panel to the main console.

“Start by taking out the…….”

Step by step Stan removes then adjusts the pieces of the console as Bill tells him too. Bill smiles as Stan follows his instructions to the letter never once questioning why he has to readjust it. Bill holds back laughter as he thinks about how easy it is to trick Stan into wasting time like this in the name of helping his brother. After the fourth electric shock from an ‘accident’ on Bill’s part in giving directions he tells Stan to stop.

“That should be good Stan.” Bill states barely holding back his laughter.

“Right sure.” Stan mumbles his fingers twitching in pain from the electricity that went through them.

“I think you should get some rest Stan.”

“No I slept for most of the day I should keep working.”

“Stan really go to sleep I think it’s for the best.”

“No I’m fine, okay?! If you don’t want me working on this then I’ll just go look for the third journal. If I find it maybe things will go smoother.”

“Wait Stan don’t do that.” Bill exclaims in worry at the idea of Stan finding the third journal and its page on him.

“Why not? I need to find it don’t I?” Stan asks suspicious of Bill’s panic.

“Yes, but it’s dangerous to go into the forest this late you know that. I’m just looking out for you Stan.”

“I can protect myself.”

“Yes, but you’re tired. You’ve also had a stressful day and you just got finished working both at your stupid attraction thing and on the portal. You wouldn’t be at your best if you went now, would you?” Bill lies skillfully.

“I guess you’re right,” Stan mumbles out as he walks towards the elevator, “maybe I should go to sleep. My heads kinda confused.”

“Take tomorrow off you probably just need more sleep.”

“Maybe,” Stan yawns in sudden exhaustion before speaking one last time as the elevator doors close, “thanks for the movie earlier by the way it was one of the first nice things anyone’s done for me in a while.”

“Sure of course.” Bill states surprised at Stan’s admission and of the emotion that sparked in him for a second.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Bill's translations in order  
> What's wrong Stan?  
> Isn't the saying talking about it helps?  
> How so?  
> Stop doing that. It's not doing anything helpful.  
> Look I don't wanna be here either, okay? But I need you to fix that portal so Sixer can come back. Meaning I have to help you through your stupid human emotions.  
> It's not supposed to. I'm stating facts Stan.  
> Right now let's see what I can do to help you out.  
> Not an option Stan.  
> Oooo I know let's watch a horror movie!  
> Calm down Stan and enjoy the movie alright?  
> Look just watch the movie alright? Here-


	3. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> enjoy.

He’s an interesting pawn that’s for sure. In the eighth months of knowing him I can honestly say I don’t think I’ve ever made a deal with a human like him, or any creature like him for that matter. On one hand he’s easy to trick because of his devotion to his brother, but on the other he’s a conman meaning I have to be careful with want I say. As a trickster he understands the importance of word play and just how dangerous trusting a being like me is, and yet his humanity makes him forget these facts in pursuit of saving his brother. Stan Pines sure is a weird human.

Bill is knocked out of his thoughts when Stan enters the shack covered in mud as well as blood. He watches as Stan wobbles into the bathroom and washes of all the gunk mixed with blood. He starts as he notices that some of blood isn’t washing off. It’s only after Stan has cleaned up, stitched up his wounds, and collapsed on his bed does Bill bring Stan into the mindscape.

“So I couldn’t help but notice that some of the blood coming off in your shower was your own. Which means I have to ask… what happened?” Bill deadpans as he hovers over Stan’s form.

“You watched me take a shower?!” Stan screams in shock as he lurches up to stare at Bill.

“What’s wrong with that?"

“You Watched Me Take A Shower. How do you see nothing wrong with that?!” 

“Because I don’t? You humans are always so sensitive about things like that.”

“Yes it’s a touchy subject! Humans don’t like showing that part of their bodies.” 

“Nuh un! I remember back when I helped Caesar get into power that those humans had no issues having those things in public view, or they didn’t in paintings at least.”

“Caesar?.....You mean the guy who ruled Rome? Anyway that’s not what I meant. Humans don’t like having others see what’s down there except in certain situations, alright?’’ 

“Fine, I won’t do it again. You meat sacks sure are confusing about whether you have extra flesh down there or not. Luckily beings like me don’t have that issue.” 

“You telling me other things like you don’t have problems with gender?”

“Well no of course we have issues with that. The main issue is just figuring out what gender you are. I mean we have over 14 trillion so it takes a while to fill out all the paperwork to figure out which one or combination you are. In conclusion finding out your gender is really confusing.” Bill gestures in exasperated annoyance.

“Um, ok. I guess that makes sense?” Stan answers apprehensively.

“Well at least it makes more sense than yours! I mean really only two genders? It’s ridiculous to think an entire race can be divided into only two groups with no one outside the groups or part of both.”

“Got it our species as a whole is inferior to yours can we drop this now?” 

“Yep, glad you finally accepted it!”

“Good then can you go and let me sleep? I’m tired.” Stan asks as he falls back onto the bed hoping to get some real sleep.

“Sur- Hey did you just try and distract me from my earlier question?” Bill utters in astonishment.

“Well since you found out, it didn’t work did it?”

“Did you even care about the shower thing?”

“Not really, a lot of people have seen me naked. So what’s one more?”

“I’m impressed no one’s ever gotten that close to pulling one over on me like that.”

“Lucky me. So can I go to sleep now?"

“Technically you-” Bill begins before a pillow hits his face.

“I know ‘technically I already am’ but talking to you is not the same as real sleeping.” Stan complains.

“Only if you tell me how you got your arms so clawed up.” 

“Bill I…hhhugh… okay. Give me second.”

“Ooooo story time! So excited.”

“So I was walking through the forest looking for Ford’s last journal and I guess I entered some beast’s territory. However I didn’t know I was in its turf until the thing was in front of me meaning I was sorta screwed.” Stan begins.

“Ha-ha, You got your assed kicked! What did it look like maybe I could give you a name so you know what to avoid?” Bill asks while laughing.

“It was about the size of that Dan kid both in height and width. Its head was a goat scull with large horns covered in gore…… Its body was a type of cracking stone mixed with wood…..type thing. It had four claws on each hand, but each hand had two claws longer than the others. Its eyes were the scariest though. They were absorbing the light around them like-like mini black holes or something. ”

“Hmmmm, you know off the top of my head I can’t think of what that might’ve been.” 

“Go figure. Anyway so I’m standing gawking at this thing when it lunges at me with its claws extended. I manage to get out of the way, but not before it got me in the arm with one of its longer nails. I turned tail and ran when I noticed my arm going numb. It nicked me another two times before I got passed its turf line.”

“You just ran away? What about the chance of your brother hiding the last journal there? It would make sense to have the final book have a guardian.” Bill asks surprised at his own curiosity for Stan’s reasoning.

“Okay first: my arm was going numb after one scratch from that thing. I wasn’t going to fight against it without complete use of my faculties. Second: if I was attacked that quickly by it what are the odds that my brother managed to have enough time to hide a journal there? Because to me it doesn’t seem all that likely. Third and lastly you said you didn’t know what it was. Meaning my brother probably never saw it therefor never asking you about it. So yeah I ran, but it was the best option.” Stan explains.

“Yeah that’s true, but can you imagine what that things head would have looked like on your mantle?” 

“I’m going to sleep now. Real sleep so can you go?”

“Sure thing pal remember I’ve got my eye on you.” Bill disappears with a laugh.

“That was a bad pun and you should be ashamed!” Stan shouts out as he drifts into a deeper sleep.

 

The night passes slowly as Stan dreams of sand covered beaches and children’s laughter. A smile rests on his face as he and Ford run across the gentle waves in his dream. Suddenly a loud ring disrupts his dream causing the scene to shatter before his eyes. Stan wakes with a start looking around wildly for the source of the noise. Rubbing his eyes in order to wake himself up completely from sleep he recognizes the sound as the phone ringing. Looking to the clock he wonders who would call him at 4:00 o’clock in the morning. 

Getting out of bed Stan staggers to the living room hoping to arrive too late to get it. Luck seems to be on his side because just as he’s about to pick up the phone it goes dead. Now fully awake and having no chance of going back to sleep Stan goes to the kitchen to piece together some new attractions. He gathers the supplies one by one until he has all he needs to create a new ‘supernatural’ creature.

First Stan takes a bobcat taxidermy from earlier that week and begins gluing several multicolored eyes to various parts of the bobcat. He then glues loose fur of a similar color around the eyes to give them a more natural appearance. He then sprinkles four small cases of glitter over the fur giving it a mystical shine. Next he wraps a ring of vines around the neck of the taxidermy. Lastly he sews fake flowers around the feet of the beast. Stan takes a look at the finished product and smiles. He picks it up with only a small tinge from his recently healed shoulder burn and then carries it into the showroom. Placing it a small distance away from the other exhibits he positions it staring at the entrance to the gift shop. 

Walking back into his office Stan digs around his supplies until he finds a needle and thread. Pulling out some golden cloth he stitches the cloth into the shape of a lion. Leaving a hole in the pillow-case like lion he begins stuffing it with spare fluff. Once the lion is filled out with stuffing he sows the hole closed. Next he begins sowing multicolor cloth wings onto the lion. After he finishes the wings he checks his stitches and adjusts any that need it. Stan smiles and sets his finished stuffed sphinx to the side to start on another stuffed creature. He makes five more creatures before he stops and puts them in the gift shop for sale. 

The entire process of what he’s done takes until 10:40 a.m. Stan winces at the time before heading upstairs to take a shower. After getting clean and dressed he heads down hoping to catch the last few tour buses of the day. He waits outside for a few minutes until the bus driver pulls into his clearing. He smiles widely at the tourists getting off the bus as they head towards him. He watches them take pictures of the hut and the surrounding forest until he decides to start the tour.

“Hello, I’m Mr. Mystery and this is the Murder Hut! Are you all ready to discover the truth to the magical?” Stan announces as he leads them inside.

The crowd laughs as they walk inside the showroom. Stan allows them to walk around freely waiting patiently for someone to ask him about some of his exhibits. He doesn’t have to wait long luckily as a little boy about seven seems to be fidgeting near the fairy portrait Stan made a few weeks back. Stan walks over and looks down at the kid and waits for him to ask whatever questions he may have.

“Um M-m-mister M-mystery? Can y-y-you um.” The little boy questions while looking at his feet.

“Do you have a question about this painting, kid?” Stan asks trying to help out the boy.

“Yes! I-I m-mean no. I-I-I m-mean…..”

“Kid whatever you’re going to ask won’t upset me. So just ask.”

“H-have y-you ever seen an f-fairy?!” 

“Huh?”

“H-h-have y-you ever seen an f-fairy? A-a-and I-I m-mean a real one.”

“Kid who do you think painted that?” 

“Y-y-you d-did?”

“Yeah I did after I met a few in the forest. Took forever to convince one to stay still long enough to get the basic sketch.”

“So they’re real then? They’re not f-fake?”

“Course not they just don’t like being around most humans.” Stan answers actually telling the truth.

“So i-i-if their real d-does that m-mean their magic i-is too?” The boy asks a smile growing on his face.

“Yeah of course their magic’s real kid. The question is which myths about their magic did we get right?”

“That’s so cool!”

“Right? Anyway you might wanna look through the rest of the room before we have to head to the gift shop, ok kid?”

“Okay bye M-m-mister M-mystery!” The kid exclaims as he runs off to look at other exhibits in the room.

Stan laughs at the enthusiasm of the kid as he runs about the room looking at all the creatures and paintings. Two hours pass until Stan moves the crowd into the gift shop. He watches as the children drag their parents to the toys section and beg them to buy the homemade stuffed animals. Or how a young man in the crowd looks at his cheaply made rings while looking at a young woman in the crowd. Or how an elderly man keeps looking at the few prints of creatures Stan has made. 

After checking everyone out at the register he waves goodbye to them all as they get on the bus to return to whatever home they have. His smile drops for a moment as he looks at the bookcase hiding the entrance to the portal’s stairway. Stan sighs letting his thoughts become dark for a moment before he focuses on the shovel by the doorway. He walks over and grabs the shovel before walking out the door.

Stan looks out into the darkening woods seeing every which way he could go to search for the journal. He closes his eyes while heading in random direction. He opens them so he doesn’t run into a tree, but he doesn’t change his path. He wanders checking the ground for any disturbances as well as tapping the ground every few feet to make sure it’s not some hidden trap door. Stan shivers as he remembers why he is checking for any trap doors his brother made in the forest during his time here. He shakes his head trying to clear his thoughts when he notices it. A shimmering light floating nearby. He looks at the sky before deciding he has enough time and moves to get closer to the light.

As Stan gets closer to the light his eyes seem to drop. With each step he becomes more and more tired until he ends up leaning against a tree in order to keep himself up off the forest floor. He tries to turn around but the light floats closer making him collapse to the ground as he eyes flutter closed. Right as he is about to pass out from the strange light Stan feels a faint tugging and with that he passes out.

 

Stan wakes up in a panic looking around wildly to see where he is. He recognizes his room back at his brother’s home and calms down slightly. Feeling several different wrappings on him he decides to check where he is hurt beside his arms. He takes a deep breath to find some faint pain in his chest. Carefully looking down he is greeted by the sight of a few bandages tightly bound around his torso. He slowly checks the bandages on his arms to find them unchanged. Next he checks his legs to find some light scratches and nicks that have all been treated with band aids. He lifts his hand slowly to his head to feel his forehead and the butterfly stitches gathering there over a few gashes. 

Finished with his quick self-checkout Stan lays back down onto his bed. He breathes gently despite the pain in his chest while he thinks about what happened. He was looking for the third journal of his brother’s in the forest. He couldn’t find anything pointing to the journal being on that path. The sun was getting ready to set when he saw a bright floating light deeper in the forest. He followed it not knowing what it could be. He started falling asleep the closer he got to the light. He collapsed to the ground and was going to pass out. He felt a tug. He woke up back home.

“What the hell happened?” Stan asks himself after going over the events.

“Well you came across a type of dream fairy. By running into it that close to night made it want you as a victim.” Bill states as he appears by Stan’s head.

“Holy crap!”

“Did I surprise you? My bad.”

“Yes you did, and what do you mean wanted me as a victim?”

“I mean it wanted to kill you.”

“Then why am I not dead?”

“I told you I’m always watching Stan! When you were about to die I took control and got you out of there. Of course I may have fallen down a hill or two in getting you away. It’s hard piloting your stupid meat sack.” 

“Oh……. Then thanks Bill. I’m um….grateful you didn’t let it kill me. That would be a really embarrassing thing to die from.”

“What a fairy killing you?” Bill questions.

“No dying in your sleep at 28. Fairies are frightening why would it be embarrassing to die by one?” Stan asks.

“Why would dying in your sleep at 28 be embarrassing?” 

“I don’t know it just seems embarrassing to die at that age.” Stan mumbles out.

“That doesn’t make sense.”

“It’s embarrassment it’s not supposed to make sense.”

“Whatever Stan. Anyway I gotta go see ya later!” Bill exclaims as he disappears.

Stan wakes up as the world around him returns to color from Bill’s visit. He smiles as he thinks about Bill’s words. Getting comfortable in the bed again Stan tries to go into a more deep sleep. Just as his eyes begin to close he hears the phone ringing. Groaning he lays there listening to the phone ringing over and over again. After several minutes it finally goes dead leaving the shack in silence once more. Stan smiles and drifts off into sleep soon after. 

 

Stan wakes up hours later sore, but well rested. He gets up and gently makes his way to the bathroom to get cleaned up. Once he finishes his shower he heads to the gift shop to check on his merchandise and see if he needs to make more. He goes over the numbers and sees that he needs to make more jewelry as well as make more supernatural prints. Stan mumbles to himself as he walks into his office what he’ll need to do. For the next two hours Stan works with pendants and chains to make jewelry, and lightly colors two of his own premade sketches of some of the creatures in the forest. Taking his finished products back into the gift shop he restocks the other merchandise he has surplus of already made. Afterwards he waits outside for the bus to come with another batch of tourists ready to give away money for his poorly made crafts. He waits there until he sees one of the tour buses arrive and let loose everyone inside. He greets everyone and offers them to take as many pictures as they want while he talks to the bus driver. 

“Hey Markus right?” Stan begins.

“Oh hey Stan. Business has been going good huh?” Markus asks with a smile.

“Yeah it has. Thanks mostly to you and the other drivers. If you guys didn’t take the time out of your route to stop by here I wouldn’t get a lot of out of town visitors.”

“It’s fine man. I mean after all the place you got running here is pretty cool and a lot better than some of the other tourist traps I’ve seen.”

“Really you think so?”

“Yeah I mean I’ve seen what you sell its all pretty well made considering you haven’t found someone to mass produce your products and have to do each one by hand.”

“Who do you even go to for that?”

“No idea. I also know that when I start driving these guys home there are always retellings of whatever story you’ve told that day. The alkonost’s teeth was an interesting one to say the least.”

“Thanks,” Stan states before turning to see a few tourists impatiently waiting to go on the tour, “should probably get back to work.”

“I understand. Bye Stan see you tomorrow?” 

“Maybe I might spend the day working on the hut. I won’t be outside if I am.” 

“Gotcha Stan I’ll keep a look out for you tomorrow.” Markus says with a huge grin.

Stan waves goodbye to Markus before leading the vacationers into the hut. He takes the time to lead them around each exhibit and explain each beast instead of letting them wander then ask him questions. With each tale he tells his audience gets more and more entranced by the lies he tells. Once he’s finished he herds them into the gift shop answering any questions about his retail. After answering three parents’ questions about his children’s books, four kids pestering on if his good luck charms really work, and a young man’s inquiry about the authenticity of the stones in his jewelry Stan waves goodbye to both Markus and the sightseers as the tour bus drives off.

Stan heads back inside just as the phone begins to ring. Deciding to actually answer it this time he picks up the phone. Answering it with it with a smile and a laugh Stan listens as whoever on the other end speaks. As the conversation goes on Stan’s smile fades to be replaced by a frown. He tries several times to interrupt the speaker so he can say goodbye, but each time he opens his mouth it seems the other person just ignores his protests. Thirty minutes pass before Stan can finally hang up on the other person.

Stan staggers to the bedroom not even trying to put up the phone correctly. His face pale and showing his heartbreak clearly. He curls up on his bed and starts wringing his hands together causing the skin to turn a bright red from the force he is using. While he is curled up there wringing his hands a few tears leak from his eyes silently. After an hour of lying there Stan finally snaps and begins screaming. He stops wringing his hands and instead starts pulling at his hair. He curls tighter in on himself as his screams get louder as well as more heartbreaking.

This is the condition Bill finds Stan in when he comes by to ask if Stan wants to watch some horror movies with him. Bill floats over Stan’s shrieking form with a strange sense of worry for his newest pawn. Knowing that it’s not good what Stan is doing to himself Bill pulls away Stan’s hands and holds them in his own while Stan wails. He watches as eventually Stan runs out of energy and just keeps sniffling as he lays there exhausted. 

“Stan what happened?” Bill asks frustrated at the fact that he legitimately doesn’t know what’s wrong with Stan this time.

“Imma failure.” Stan croaks out as he tries rubbing away the tears still leaking out from his eyes.

“Stan we’ve gone over this it was both your faults for your brother’s predicament right now.”

“Failure who can’t do anything right. ’Cept die right.”

“Die right? Stan what does that even mean?”

“My dad called. Thought I was Ford……Kept saying how my worthless brother finally did something right. Ain’t it funny? I finally do something right according to my dad and its dying!” Stan laughs out bitterly as he gives up on stopping the tears from falling.

“Oh… Stan I…..” Bill utters at a lack for words.

“Always knew you know? He never loved me like he did loved Ford. Even though I did everything he asked he never….never wanted me.”

“Stanley…..” 

“Imma failure and a fuck up.”

“…..”

“Sorry Bill you probably don’t care do you?........Course not you’ve got other issues. Hell you probably agree with him.”

“That’s not true.”

“It…..It isn’t?”

“Stan out of all the humans I’ve ever made deals with or even met you are the one of the only ones I actually like.”

“You mean that?” Stan asks tired but with hope in his tear glazed eyes.

“Yes Stan I mean it. Now go to sleep you’re exhausted.”

“I’m scared.”

“You’re afraid to fall asleep,……why?” 

“…..I don’t wanna have another nightmare.”

“I can help with that. I am a being of the mind after all.” Bill smirks as he holds out a flaming hand.

“Ok……” Stan weakly smiles as he shakes Bill’s hand.

Stan’s grin begins to fade as his eyes start fluttering. Bill watches as Stan’s breathing slows and Stan’s eyes close one final time as he drifts off into a peaceful sleep. Bill floats there counting the breaths that Stan makes as he dreams. He hovers there lost in his thoughts for a moment as he runs his hand through Stan’s hair. After petting his hair one more time Bill leaves the dreamscape for his own dimension as a single question runs through his head.

“When did Stan become something more than a pawn?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> another chapter posted


	4. Chapter 3

Stan waves goodbye to the last holiday tourist as they leave to spend the rest of the next few days with family. He turns the sign to closed and then hangs another sign reading until February. He heads back inside the warm house walking quickly to the living room where a large pile of blankets are already gathered in front of the TV. He turns on the TV and buries himself into the blankets. As he watches the TV the snow begins to fall outside in large numbers. The temperature drops with each pile of snow around the shack until even while under his mountain of blankets he’s shaking. Getting up he goes to his room and getting the gas heater then precedes to drag it into the living room.

Turning it on Stan sits by it until the room is nice and toasty. Getting up and sinking back into the warmth of the blankets Stan goes back to watching TV as more snow falls outside. While sitting there curled into the blankets as well as the chair itself Stan begins to slowly drift off. Once he is fully asleep in his chair the world around him becomes toneless. An eye opens above him and blinks down at him as bricks form a triangle around it. After Bill finishes his flashy entrance he floats down to Stan’s face to stare at him.

“I go through all the trouble of making an entrance and you’re in legitimate sleep instead of just the dreamscape.” Bill complains to himself as he floats down to Stan’s blanket covered lap.

“Then again if I wanted to bug you I could’ve come while you were awake instead of waiting for you to drift off into a deeper sleep. Did you notice I haven’t been around for two months? Just kidding. I know you noticed. I saw that little panic thing you did a few weeks back. Nice to know you care though.” Bill rambles on to his unconscious audience. 

Falling into silence Bill watches Stan snore softly as he dreams. As he watches a light red begins coating a few bricks around his eye. Bill closes his eye as he pushes himself closer to Stan’s slumbering form. His entire triangular form turns a rosy red as he finishes his nuzzling into Stan’s covered body. Lying against Stan’s warm body Bill relaxes until he is back to his normal yellow coloring.

“In case you were wondering I wasn’t here because I needed to think. I had to figure out why I didn’t consider you a just a pawn anymore.” Bill confesses to Stan before continuing.

“I mean I still want to open a rift from this dimension to mine and throw a chaotic party to end all others, that hasn’t changed, but I see you as more than just a means to an end now. Does that make sense to you? It doesn’t to me. I mean I’ve gone over everything that I’ve started to feel since I’ve met you, and according to everything I’ve looked up it means only one thing. I love you….. Well either that, or I’m obsessed with you and I don’t want you to be anyone else’s. It’s one of the two I’m sure.” Bill babbles out awkwardly his red flush appearing again.

Lapsing into silence again Bill tries to collect his thoughts. As he lays there thinking he can’t help but notice how Stan has stopped snoring and has a peaceful smile on his face now instead. Bill’s eye takes on a contented look while his red flush disappears once more. He nuzzles against Stan one more time as he finally collects his thoughts into a more organized manner.

“But it doesn’t really matter what you call it, does it? I mean the end game is the same with both. Either I finally figure out how to word this confession while you’re awake and you accept it, or I fail you panic and I become what you meat sacks call a stalker! I’m fine with both options, but I’d prefer you not being terrified of me. Heh, that’s funny me a dream demon not wanting you to be afraid of me.” Bill finishes out his confession. 

Bill is about to go on when he notices that Stan is moving. Quickly backing away from Stan’s awaking form he stares fascinated as Stan wakes up into the dreamscape. Bill hovers there silently while Stan opens his eyes and takes in the grey world of the dreamscape instead of the colorful waking world he expected. After he wakes up a bit more Stan looks around trying to understand what’s going on. Bill’s blocks turn a slight pink when Stan finally looks his way. Stan smiles a huge grin as he grabs Bill and pulls him into a hug. Bill’s blush gets darker when he is pressed up against a conscious and oblivious Stan’s chest.

“Bill you’re back! I was started thinking maybe you left me here to handle the portal on my own. Where were you by the way?” Stan asks while still holding Bill’s blushing form.

“I was summoned by some idiot. They kept me so busy for the past two months I only just now managed to screw them over with my deal.” Bill lies quickly as he squirms free of Stan’s grip.

“It took you that long to screw someone over? Damn, what wording they use?”

“Eh, it doesn’t matter. Point is they’re they got what they deserved. What was with the hug? Did you miss me that much?”

“You’re helping me fix that stupid thing. Of course I’m going to be worried if you just up and disappear on me.”

“Oh….”

“Plus….your sorta the only friend I’ve had since Ford. I was worried maybe you got into some trouble.” 

“How sweet. So what have you done to your hut while I was away?” Bill asks finally getting his blush under control. 

“Well I got rid of that one exhibit that I was passing off as a Zhulong for one….” Stan begins before being interrupted.

“What I liked that one! Why’d you get rid of it?”

“It creeped out a lot of people Bill. I had to throw it out or else I’d lose business. If it makes you feel any better I had the gnomes help me give it a proper burial.”

“Can I possess you to visit it later?”

“Sure Bill, if you really want to.”

“Yes! I’m going to use your body to dance on its grave!”

“Really Bill?”

“Yep!”

“Fine do what you want just don’t pull something.”

“Perfect, now anything else happen?” Bill asks happy to have all of Stan’s attention.

“Nothing else really. Haven’t made any new exhibits, hut’s closed until February, I was asked out by three of the townsfolk, and I’m thinking of changing the name of the hut. 

Something friendlier you know? But ya not much happened.” Stan lists off. 

“Wait you were asked out by three of the people in town?!”

“Yeah. They think I’m lonely or something so a few people tried asking me out for a date.”

“You said no?”

“Of course I said no. Ford is already going to be pissed his name is associated with the hut here if he found out I dated someone in his name he’ll be even more pissed off.”

“Well even if you were going by your own name I don’t think you should date them.”

“Awww Bill do you care about me?”

“Yes, but even if I didn’t do you know how hard it is to pretend to be someone if they have a significant other?”

“Hard I’m guessing.”

“Very.”

“Well now that your back can you help me with the portal? I’ve tried searching more for the third journal, but I still can’t find it.” Stan asks hopefully.

“Sure Stan whatever you want,” Bill agrees before adding, “but only if we can watch movies all day tomorrow.”

“Deal.”

Upon agreeing Bill disappears causing Stan to wake up into the real world once more. Stan rubs his eyes to get the gunk out of them as he untangles himself from the cocoon of blankets. Once free he unplugs the gas heater before going downstairs to the portal room. Exiting the elevator he freezes momentarily due to the extreme cold of the underground. Shaking himself out of it he shuffles over to the control panel before the room goes slightly off color. Turning he smiles at the appearance of his other worldly friend. 

Upon Bill’s appearance Stan immediately begins working with Bill’s instruction. He starts by checking the wires inside one of the control panels as Bill directs him. Unlike last time Stan is shocked far less and the few times he is it is an actual accident instead of ‘misguidance’ on Bill’s part. After bandaging his slight electoral burns he then heads to the lever that activates the portal. Opening it up he goes over the inner mechanisms with little impute from Bill to assure that each part is functioning correctly. Closing it Stan then goes over to the base of the portal.

“Ok so what do I need to cheek now?” Stan asks with slight wariness in his voice. 

“If you’re tired of working on this thing we can stop Stan. You have made a lot of progress today.” Bill informs him with concern in his voice.

“I was asleep for at least an hour before I woke up in the dreamscape. I shouldn’t be this tired.”

“Being in the dreamscape isn’t restful Stan. If anything its more exhausted because of the constant stimuli to your mind.”

“It doesn’t matter I still wanna work on this.”

“Ok. What you need to do now is check the crystals in the compartment to your right.”

“Crystals? Why would crystals be in this thing?”

“Some of them conduct the energy to the portal while others store energy to keep it from overloading the system. You need to make sure that they aren’t cracked otherwise they won’t work.”

“Got it.”

Opening the panel Stan sees several gemstones inside all glowing. He pulls out each one with specific instructions on how to remove them from Bill. He runs his fingers over each one looking for any imperfections. Feeling nothing but smooth crystal he puts them all back into their proper places. Staring at them glow for a few moments he closes the panel again. Turning towards Bill he rubs his eyes before asking for the next task.

Directing him to the fuel tank again Bill has him again go over the pipes to make sure they haven’t been damaged. After rechecking them Stan then goes around removing any rust that has formed over the parts. Cleaning off the little that has formed still takes hours. Forcing himself to stay down there in the basement he goes back to rechecking everything he did while Bill was gone asking for his impute on if he did it right. 

After another several hours of going over everything with Bill’s help Stan finally decides to call it a night. Watching as the world regains the colors it lost Stan heads back to the elevator. Only as he is waiting for the lift to get to the ground level does he notice his entire body is shivering. After taking a shower to get cleaned up from the grim of working on the portal Stan then gets on his warmest clothes before grabbing a jacket and heading upstairs to the attic. Opening the window Stan climbs through and up until is standing a bit wobbly on the snow covered roof. Walking over to the dish on the roof he begins cleaning it of its snow until it is perfectly clear of anything that could block it. Smiling at his work he heads back through the window into the attic. 

Heading down the stairs he heads to the kitchen. Searching through the cabinets Stan finds a pan of jiffy pop and begins cooking it. Once it finishes he grabs a few sodas as he heads into the living room with his food and drink. Burrowing back into the blankets he turns on the TV and quickly finds the horror movie channel. Leaning back into the chair he waits for Bill’s arrival. Just as the next movies is about to start the chair he’s sitting on loses color right as Bill plops down off to the side of his pile of blankets. 

“You ready to watch the movie, Stan?” Bill asks as he grabs some of the popcorn and stuffs it through his eye.

“One that’s disgusting, and two of course I’m ready to watch it. I have the TV on don’t I?” Stan grumbles out as he grabs some popcorn for himself.

“Hey it’s how I eat, I don’t comment on all the disgusting habits you meat sacks have.”

“Sure you don’t. Anyway can we watch the movie or do you want to talk about how horrible the bowel system is?”

“Actually I like that system! It’s…” Bill begins before Stan shoves popcorn in his eye.

“Nope, not talking about this. Let’s just watch the movie.” Stan comments as the intro scene ends beginning the movie.

“Fine by me Stan!” 

The first movie begins by showing a young boy get laughed at by a teenager and her boyfriend after he gave her a valentine. However before sympathy forms in Stan’s heart for the unpopular child they both watch as he breaks into the girl’s house and kills her boyfriend. The movie flashes forward into the future showing how the girl’s life turned out. She now has a daughter and is divorced. As the movie goes on they both watch as her seemingly normal hospital visit goes horribly wrong on all accounts. With each death Stan shoves more popcorn in his mouth entranced by the gore on the screen. In the end the woman manages to learn the killer was that old stalker of hers as well as set him ablaze. Once free from his murderous rampage the woman meets back up with her daughter and gets back together with her ex.

“That’s how it ends?” Stan states in surprise.

“That ending is stupid. He should’ve be able to kill her.” Bill grumbles out.

“As weird as it is for me to say I agree with you Bill.”

“Oh? I thought you would have been happy she lived.”

“I am, but let’s be honest if he really wanted to just kill her he could have done it in her home while she was asleep.”

“Well if they did that there’d be no movie.”

“Yeah I guess. Still I don’t get why he was so obsessed. I mean did they even know each other that well?”

“Not from what I saw. But he clearly liked her enough.”

“Obsession is not ‘liking someone’. He killed her boyfriend just because he laughed at him.” Stan comments as the credits finish rolling.

“What’s the difference? I mean isn’t your human romance just two or more people being obsessed about each other and wanting no one else to take them away?” Bill asks while Stan gets up to get more popcorn.

“It’s not like that.”

“Then how is it like?” 

“I…. I don’t….I haven’t…..I don’t have the best luck with romance. So I’m not really the one to ask for that.”

“But you can see how the two are similar, right?”

“Maybe….But obsession is so much darker. It….It implies that one party doesn’t want this. That they want no part of it.”

“Hmmmm I guess you’re right on that point.” 

“Let’s just watch the next movie ok. This conversation is creeping me out.” Stan asks as he brings out the fresh popcorn and sits back down under the blankets.

“Sure of course Stan.” Bill agrees feeling discomfort radiate from Stan’s being as he subtly gets closer to Stan’s form.

The second movie begins with your stereotypical idiot grave robbers with the added bonus of the fact they are there to dump toxic waste too. An earthquake ruins their plan when it causes the toxic waste to fall onto a grave and resurrect a woman who died years ago. Bill begins to laugh as the newly created zombie devours the blood of the two who disturbed her eternal rest. Leaving her crypt she heads back to her childhood home being spotted by only a woman out with her boyfriend. Back at home the zombie wanders around remembering her childhood friend. 

Stan and Bill continuing watching the movie as the zombie is taken in by her old friend after killing two others. They watch as her friend begins bringing her resurrected friend other people for food. Bill starts laughing as the friend clearly goes nuts to take care of her old friend by kidnapping then later killing people to keep the secret regardless of her undead friend’s wishes. Bill stops however when he sees Stan tear up when the friend offers herself as food. As the credits roll Bill looks at Stan as he tries to wipe his eyes discreetly. 

“Well that was an interesting one.” Bill states slightly angry that the movie made Stan upset.

“Yeah….good movie.” Stan smiles once he finishes wiping his eyes. 

“Surprised they have it out in English on the TV already.”

“Gravity falls is weird don’t question it.”

“ha-aha! Alright sure thing Stan. Hey do we have enough popcorn for the next one?”

“I think so. I didn’t eat much during this movie and you focused more on pouring soda on your eye than you did on eating.”

“I was drinking it.” 

“It soaked through one of the blankets. I had to throw it over to the side while the chick was killing the realtor and their boyfriend. It’s sitting there slowly sinking into the floorboards! You weren’t drinking it.”

“I was too! It just had more trouble passing through!” Bill pouts indignantly.

“Sure whatever. The next movies starting so shut up ok?” Stan asks with a smile not noticing that Bill is now sitting on his lap.

The third movie begins with a nice man befriending a lonely girl. Stan clenches his teeth as the kind man is killed by four assholes because of his innocent friendship with the girl. Bill looks worriedly on as Stan’s anger grows with how in the movie the four men seem to get away with murder. However when each of the four men slowly begin to die off one by one Bill notices a smile spreading across Stan’s face. The movie ends once the last man is killed and the little girl tells the ghost of her friend that she has a new game for them to play together. 

Stan gets up as the credits roll and grabs the trash from the movie watching. Throwing it away he then grabs the stained blanket and puts in the laundry basket to wash later. Heading into the kitchen to cook the rest of the popcorn Stan waits for it to finish before heading back into the living room. Sitting back down Stan quickly gets back under the covers as he gets ready for the next movie. However before it starts Stan finally notices how Bill has been steadily getting closer to him as they watched the films. 

“Um Bill why are you sitting in my lab?” Stan asks ignoring the movie and focusing on the being in his lap.

“It’s….it’s the warmest spot Stan. That’s what why I’m sitting here.” Bill lies quickly his color taking on a slight reddish hue.

“You know somehow I don’t think that’s true.”

“Yes it Stan, now let’s try to catch the rest of the movie. We already missed the very beginning.”

“Bill you’re blushing.”

“No I’m not.”

“Yes you are.”

"̰͙̹̠̯̼͙̀N̜̺̪o̖̼̫ ̞͈̦̫̳̟̱͘I͚̦'̨͈͙̰̝͖̣͎m ̛͔̻̙̟no̱̳̖͈̘͘t͓͍ ̠͈̖͉͎̦̣s̪̲͘o̮͉̩̙̻͈͙̕ dr̛͖̘̲o͍̤p̖͈͟ ͉͚̠̲͚́i̯͕t̩͔͇̝̺͝!̸"̝̮̼͇ Bill screams out his form becoming a dark red.

“Bill um your voice changed.” Stan utters in shock at Bill’s sudden anger.

Bill remains silent as Stan stares at him in slight worry. Calming down his color returns to its usual golden yellow. Bill looks around the room for a moment as if trying to dodge some question. After several minutes in complete silence on their part Stan opens his mouth as if to apologize when Bill starts running his small hand through Stan’s long hair. As he plays with Stan’s locks he begins to speak.

"̮̜͇̹I̻͕͍'̸̥m͉̝̫̳ͅ ̩̦̼̭ͅs̺̩̱͞o̧͖͓r͍͕̖͔̻͔̕r̰̱̻ỵ̛̙̝͙̯.͟"̝͔ Bill whispers as he continues to mess with Stan’s hair.

“What’s going on Bill,” Stan asks with worry in his tone, “you can tell me.”

"̙͉͍̺͈͉̭I̧ ̻̱͎̯̠̟̜d̗̳̼̤̮͚͘o̭͍̮̺͕̮͘n̼'̼̞̦t̯-̣̩…..I don’t know how to word it.”

“Well can you try? I’m kinda in the dark here.”

“Before I say anything you have to know that I didn’t expect this nor did I ask for it.”

“Okay. Little more concerned since you said you didn’t expect this, but I’m still willing to listen.”

“Good. Okay….You know what I’m just going to say it and then you can asks questions alright?”

“Sure that-” Stan begins before Bill interrupts.

“I love you!” Bill blurts out.

“…..What?”

“I love you. Or at least I’m fairly sure it’s what you humans would call love.”

“You’re not sure?!”

“Of course I’m not! Beings like me have no want or need for an emotion like that. So how would I know how to identify it if I did for some reason have it?!”

“So what makes you think you have it for me?”

“Because everything I’d looked at says either I love you or I have an obsession with you.”

“That’s not comforting.”

“I wasn’t really trying for it to be.”

Falling into silence Bill looks at Stan as Stan seems to thinks things over. While he thinks Bill turns his attention back to Stan’s hair and continues his messing with it. Time passes in this way until Stan finally sighs and looks down at Bill. He watches as Bill plays with his hair and waits for Bill to look at him. It takes a few moments, but eventually Bill does look at Stan in the eyes.

“You said you think it’s love.” Stan repeats as he stares into Bill’s wide pupil.

“Yes.” Bill agrees nervously.

“Why?”

“What do you mean Stan?”

“Why do you love me? I have a right to know that, right?”

“I think….I think I love you because of how you are.”

“What does that mean?”

“You scam people for a living. You’re a trickster like me. You charm people with your lies until they’re putty in your hands like I do with my deals. And yet you’re still willing to save your brother. No matter what he did or didn’t do to you, you are still willing to summon me to help you rescue him. You are willing to give up this house and the safety his name gives you to bring him back even though it will be taken from you.” Bill rambles looking away from Stan.

“So you’re saying you love me because I’m you with some sense of loyalty?” Stan asks.

“Yes! I mean sort of? I love how much like me you are, but I also love how different you are too.”

“Like how?”

“Like how maternal you are to strays of all kinds. How creative you are in your stories or creations. How even though everyone in town has figured out you are a thief you still managed to gain enough of their respect that they worry for you.”

“…..”

“Look Stan does it really matter why I love you? The point is I do and I would like to know if you’ll give me a chance.”

“I don’t know how to react to this to be honest.”

“Let me show you that I do care for you in my own way regardless if it the human definition of love or not. Please? If you don’t feel the same way I’ll drop it.” 

“You promise? You swear if I go along with this test run or whatever you wanna call it and still don’t feel the same you’ll let it go?” Stan asks slightly fearful of Bill’s answer.

“Promise.” Bill agrees easily as he crosses his fingers behind his back.

“…..Ok. Bill I’ll give dating you a try.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Bill's translations in order  
> No I'm not so drop it!  
> I'm sorry  
> I don't-


	5. Chapter 4

Gravity falls is a weird town. No one denies this if they lived there long enough. Sure it’s a little less weird now that people have begun forgetting things, but it’s still weird. We’ve got your giant lumberjacks, your practically immortal mayors, old man Mcgucket’s weird inventions, and even the occasional sighting of some weird people in dark red cloaks. However one of the weirdest things about Gravity falls is none another than resident Stanford Pines down on Gopher road. 

When he first came here he was a bit of a recluse. He would rarely leave his home even for community events. And when those lights started appearing around his home? He had become even more antisocial if that was even possible. Everyone was getting kind of scared of what was going on in there. Six years of this fear of the man in the woods before everything changed. One day towards the end of winter he just appeared in public as if it was no big deal. Seeing him like that gave a few of us courage. We ended up asking him for tours of his home, and he agreed! It was a little shaky at first, but then things got interesting. None of us knew that such an esteemed scientist would be so funny.

After that first tour things seemed to change with Mr. Pines. He stopped hiding out in his home and started coming into town more often. He would talk with us with a smile on his face and even play with the kids if they asked. We noticed that he was something of a trickster early on when he convinced the mechanic to repair all the damage to his car with just a single tour as payment. He showed himself a thief when he started stealing from the dusk n dawn regularly. Maybe we should have been mad about it.

Maybe we should have kicked him out of our town. But we couldn’t. Despite his many faults he was still a good man. We would see him leave food for Mcgucket when he thought no one was looking. He told jokes and played pranks with the children. He even aided that Corduroy boy in getting the courage to ask out his crush. Yes, Stanford Pines was a very strange man with his sense of moral ambiguity, but we all became quickly fond of him. It also helped that his new tourist trap called the Murder Hut attracted a large number of tourists to Gravity Falls increasing its revenue. But regardless of whatever strangeness we thought of him before nothing was as bizarre as what started when the New Year rolled around. 

Mcgucket was the first to notice. He was wandering in the middle of night, as he usually does, when he noticed someone was at the drive in theater watching what he thinks is The Duchess Approves. Sneaking in just as Mr. Pines, as Mcgucket now knows from his car, had done earlier he gets closer to the car hoping to surprise Mr. Pines. Just as he’s about to jump up and scare the man nice enough to give him food he hears murmurs coming from inside the car. Hiding in a way to get a better look he sees no one else in the car. Turning to the screen to see if it’s their voices he’s hearing he sees that the credits have begun rolling. Now slightly afraid for the kind man’s sanity Mcgucket sneaks closer to actually hear what is being said. 

“What a sappy movie! There wasn’t even any death! Why do you even like it?” Mcgucket recognizes Stan’s voice with a slight nasal hitch.

“I’m not a sappy! How could you even say that?”

“My confession was not mushy or whatever you wanna call it! It was dignified of a being like me.”

“Stop laughing! Ok so maybe it was a little bit more emotional than I said, but I still stand strong about it not being mushy.”

“You know what? I don’t love you anymore. Nope no more love for you from me.”

“You better apologize. Hey! There is no laughing in apologies! That’s it I’m leaving find you own way home!”

Mcgucket watches worriedly as Stan seems to have a conversation and then an argument with himself. He starts trembling with fear when he catches a brief sight of Stan’s eyes and sees yellow silts. When the argument ends Mcgucket watches as Stan goes silent and his eyes go blank. Just as he is about to jump into the car to try and help Stan’s entire form begins shaking with laughter. Scared of the sudden change in Mr. Pines Mcgucket starts trying to make a stealthy exit only to trip and fall into a heap on the ground.

“Huh,” Stan looks out his window and sees Mcgucket on the ground, “Hey you okay man?”

“Oh I’m fine don’t worry ‘bout me, Mr. Pines” Mcgucket exclaims in panic as he fumbles in trying to get up while Stan exits his car and walks over to him.

“Here let me help you.”

“No its fine I’ll just sleep here don’t you fret!”

“Mcgucket are you ok?”

“Fine never better! Now why don’t you head on home alright?”

“If you say so. Stop the hut tomorrow and I’ll give you some leftover Christmas sweaters I made for the gift shop. It should help you keep warm ok? But don’t tell anyone.” 

“Sure alright I’ll stop by.” Mcgucket agrees as he unconsciously calms down when he sees Stan’s dark amber eyes instead of golden yellow.

“Alright I’ll be waiting.” Stan smiles as heads back to his car and then drives home.

The next day Mcgucket would rave and rant about what he saw in the night at that old drive in. No one would believe him and he would start to think he imagined it all. Only the Christmas sweaters he got the day after are proof to him that it wasn’t all a dream. This was the first instance of the change in Stan pines, but nobody would listen or remember until after the fourth instance. 

The next one to see it would be young Dan Corduroy. He was walking through the forest hoping to find an early valentines gift for his girlfriend. As he searches the woods for a crystal, a trinket, or something he sees from the corner of his eye the red Cadillac of Mr. Pines parked in a clearing. Looking behind it Dan sees the trail of destruction the car left in order to get to this location from the road nearby. Checking the driver’s seat to make sure Stan didn’t just fall asleep at the wheel and crash. Seeing no one dead or unconscious in the seat Dan lets out a sigh of relief. Shaking his head at the man who somehow works himself into exhaustion, and has been seen falling asleep at the diner Dan decides to try to follow the footsteps left behind.

Following the tracks is easy and it leads him to a clearing that leaves him stunned. Before him is small clearing below a decent sized hill. From the hill a small waterfall runs down into a good sized pool of water. As the water hits the pool a chime like sound is heard throughout the area. Flowers of all shapes and colors are in bloom despite the snow while the flowers to seem to sparkle in the cold. Where each patch of flowers grow a large orange-red crystal grows as well. 

But it is none of these beautiful things that have stunned Dan into silence. No what has amazed Dan is the hundreds of tiny phoenixes springing forth from a pile large pile of ash in the center of the clearing. He watches slightly hidden as the birds land near the flowers but unexpectedly don’t burn them with their wings of pure flame. He stands there amazed as their blazing feathers calm when the birds land on one of the crystals. So spellbound by the sight before him he almost doesn’t notice Stan sitting off onto the side watching the same scene.

Walking on the sidelines hoping not to disturb the birds Dan heads over to talk to Stan. Every few seconds he is stalled in his trek as he was again mesmerized by the sight before him. Right as he is about to speak up and ask Stan how he knew about what would happen here today he hears Stan having a conversation himself. 

“I told you it was worth the trip Stan.” Dan hears Stan whisper, but his voice has taken on a slight nasally hitch in pitch. 

“This is how new phoenixes are born. They come from death and when they die they will bring new life.”

“I know it’s sad, but the world isn’t completely happy now is it?”

“No don’t start sniffling! I didn’t think this would upset you this much. I’m sorry please stop crying.”

“Mr. Pines?” Dan interrupts as he watches Stan trying to comfort the air next to him.

“Huh?......Oh hello Dan whatcha need?” Stan turns to Dan but hiding his eyes from view.

“I was looking for a valentine’s day gift for Nova when I saw your car.”

“Valentine’s day? You know that started with a priest marrying couples in secret against the roman emperor’s orders, and then being killed by said emperor right?”

“No I didn’t….”

“Well now you do. So you were looking for a gift and….”

“I saw your car and thought I’d see where you were to get your help for ideas on what to give her.”

“So you follow my footprints alright makes since.” Stan whispers still hiding his eyes as he gets up from the ground.

“Um…Mr. Pines are you alright?” Dan asks worried for his slightly older friend.

“I’m fine. What makes you think otherwise?”

“You were…….”

“Yes?”

“….Never mind I was just concerned because your car took a beating and I thought maybe you were hurt.”

“My car?! What’s wrong with my car?” Stan suddenly questions as Dan finally sees his light brown eyes.

“Well you drove it a bit into the forest. So it got a bit banged up.” Dan answers happy to see Stan acting more like himself. 

“Crap look I gotta go um for your girlfriend give her a phoenix feather it’s unique and also considered something beautiful or whatever.” 

“How do I get one?”

“After they leave go to one of the crystals and there should be a bunch of them there left behind,” Dan watches as Stan’s eyes flash yellow for a spilt second before he continues, “take only one and then dip it in the pool there. That should make it more stable and less likely to turn to ash.”

“Thanks Stan. I’ll be sure to do that.” Dan states as Stan starts heading out of the clearing.

“Wear gloves the feather might burn!” 

Watching Stan run out of the area after his last warning Dan turns back to the sight before him. Observing the baby birds finally stop coming from the pile of the ash Dan sits in near peaceful silence merely watching. He waits until the last new phoenix leaves before entering the clearing itself. Stepping up to the closet crystal he puts on his gloves before grabbing one of the left behind feathers. Feeling the heat traveling through his gloves and beginning to burn; he quickly rushes to the water and drops the feather in. Steam rises from the water for several moments until the feather stops burning. Pulling it from the water Dan is left with a feather cooled to the touch as well with the appearance of a burning flame.

With gift in hand Dan leaves the forest to find a way to attach the feather to a hair pen for his girlfriend. As he walks his mind drifts off to what he saw Stan doing in the woods all alone. However despite wanting to know what was going on with him, Dan decides to keep it to himself especially the part of how his eyes went yellow. After all that couldn’t have really happened could it have? Leaving yet another instance of Stan’s new strange behavior unknown to the town as a whole.

The third time it happens it’s a young Priscilla that sees it. She is ten years old and the only daughter of a family wealthy enough to be friends with the Northwests. Sneaking out through her window she heads into the forest to investigate the strange noises that has been keeping her up at night and stopping her from getting her beauty sleep. As she wanders through the woods she sees many things that would fascinate everyone else. However her rich life style has made her spoiled and so the fantastical things she sees barely interest her.

She sighs at the fairies as they speed through the air looking for berries and other ingredients that they might need for their everyday lives. She glares at the gnomes as they follow her and even threatens to use her pepper spray if they don’t leave her be. She ignores the few dryads she meets as their splendor brings out her envy. She even snubs the centaur offering to help her reach her goal. It isn’t until she has searched for an hour that she hears a soft noise. Thinking it might be what has kept her up she follows it. 

Priscilla follows the music, for that’s what it was, until she comes across a small creek. Before her eyes she sees several nymphs playing harps or flutes in a circle around the center of the creek. In the center of the creek however, is the man her father calls a no good crook. As he stands in the center the music begins filling the air as the nymphs start up their song. Priscilla is about to call out to them to shut up when she sees something quite peculiar. She watches as the long haired man starts dancing by himself. She stares astonished as he does a one person waltz with a soft smirk on his face while the nymphs play their song. As the dance goes on Priscilla feels nervousness fill her as she contemplates interrupting this man’s dance. 

“Hello? Um I’m sorry to disturb you, but have you been dancing here the past few nights?” Priscilla stammers out as the music stutters to a halt.

“Hmmmm? No now go away kid I’m busy.” Stan grumbles out as he continues his dance with his yellow eyes shining in the light.

“Well do know of a beast around here that has been making a lot of noise these past few days?”

“Kid I said I’m busy leave.”

“I’ll pay you.”

“What?”

“I’ll pay you if you help me find what’s making the noise that’s keeping me up.” Priscilla states again as she pulls out her emergency bribe money.

“Alright you’ve got yourself a deal kid.” Stan agrees his yellow eyes glinting in the night.

“Great so let’s get going.” 

Stan gets out from the center of the creek and leads Priscilla through the woods to small cliff above a mud pit. Looking around Priscilla is about to question why they are here when a loud snore rumbles the area around them. Looking down she sees buried in the mud a giant sleeping bore like creature. With each snore the ground around them seems to shake. Priscilla realizing this is what has been keeping her up gives Stan his money before screaming at the beast below her. Shocked from his sleep the creature runs away in fear. Priscilla smirks and starts heading home, but not before hearing a few whispers from the man behind her.

“Yes you were right it didn’t take long to help the kid, but by holding out I got money!” Stan exclaims to himself while showing the money to thin air.

“Yeesh, don’t rub it in okay? Let’s just go back to the creek to continue what we’re doing before.”

“What a poor weirdo.” Priscilla whispers to herself as she heads home to finally get her deserved beauty rest.

Of course since Priscilla is of wealth to speak of something she saw the common folk doing is an automatic no-no kind of a thing to do. She also never speaks about it because if she did her parents would know she went out without them. So she never voices what she saw or heard in the woods that night to anyone. But for the few times she would see him she can’t help but think about how much love he had in his eyes for whatever it was he saw and danced with. 

The fourth time it happened almost everyone saw it. It was the third Friday of January and a new bar had opened up. Almost everyone of legal age was there at it opening to christen the place. Lazy Susan is drinking a martini with Ms. Cutebiker while talking about her young son, Tyler. Ma and Pa are enjoying a few shots of tap water while complaining to Sprott about those horrid teenagers hanging out by their store at all times each day. Bud’s father a Charles Gleeful is asking the bartender for a deck of cards to play a game of poker. However all Mrs. Ramírez does is shake her head before going back to getting Toby’s vodka.

The party is in full swing when Stan comes with a Mcgucket trailing closely behind. Everyone stares for a moment before turning away assuming that either Mcgucket followed him in or Stan offered to buy him something off the bar’s limited menu. After asking nicely and paying the full price Stan leaves Mcgucket with two plates full of hot wings at the bar before heading over to the pool table. He starts a game with Dan and his friend Bud who managed to convince the bar owner to let them in despite being only 18. They watch as even though Stan is wearing sunglasses in the dim lighted bar he is beating the two of them.

They play six games. Each game Stan is by himself on a team while Dan and Bud work together. However after the second game Dan begins noticing that each time him and Bud switch it seems Stan switches styles. On one turn he will be all about putting power into his shots and aiming them into the opponents’ balls so they can bounce off then hit his own. While on the other turn he will aim for the walls to bounce of and hit his balls. Another thing Dan notices is that Stan seems to be whispering to himself with each turn. On the sixth game he stands close to Stan the entire game to hear the conversation.

“This is fun. Are you having fun?” Dan hears Stan whisper to himself with that strange high pitched tone as he had in the forest.

“That’s good. Kinda worried that our date would be ruined when you saw that Mcgucket guy.”

“Well at least you’re having fun too.”

“I think it’s your turn now.” 

This is the type of discussion Dan hears throughout the entire sixth game. During one turn Stan would seem to be dozing off every few minutes while still whispering at something unseen when his eyes are glazed, and yet on other turns he is completely awake as he whispers to himself like someone else was there. Feeling slightly concerned but not sure how to bring it up Dan decides to stop playing after that game to see what Stan does next.

The rest of bar begins watching when Stan walks over to a table and pulls out a deck of cards. Charles heads over and sits down getting ready for a game of poker against the con man. Next to come is Michael Valentino a funeral director in training. Lastly to enter the game is Johnathan or ‘tattoo guy’ as some have been being to call him after he got several arm tattoos. Once all four get comfortable Stan deals out the cards to play the game. With each game all the other players and even the other people in the bar begin to notice what Priscilla, Dan, and Mcgucket saw weeks ago. 

“Is it this card?” Stan would ask himself briefly showing off yellow eyes.

“What do you mean I shouldn’t play this hand? It looks fine.”

“Wait, is this a good card or a bad card?”

“Why do you even play this game it’s too easy.”

“Shut up. I never said it was hard. I just didn’t know the rules before.”

“I don’t know everything just most things.”

After eight games of poker Mcgucket comes over and tugs on Stan’s coat sleeve. Folding his hand Stan then asks that someone mails the cards back to him before he leaves with Mcgucket trailing once again behind. Once the two of them leave the whole bar goes silent as they all think about what they have just been witnessed too. After several minutes of this silence Dan turns to Bud and holds out a pool cue.

“Wanna play another game before we have to go home Bud?” Dan asks keeping his voice light.

“…Sure.” Bud answers as he takes the cue a shy grin forming on his face.

The sounds of pool break the silence and one by one everyone goes back to what they were doing before Stan arrived. Susan goes back to arguing with Ms. Cutebiker on who is cuter ‘Ghost eyes’ or Bulbs while they both drink shots of whiskey. Ma and Pa go back talking with Mrs. Ramírez about recipes they are know. Sprott is now crying on Toby’s shoulder as he finishes of Toby’s vodka. Charles and his group are how playing a rousing mix of go fish and war. Dan looks over the bar with a smile as he sees how everyone went back to doing their own thing instead of focusing on whatever weirdness Stan is going through.

All in all things move on back into party mode after Stan leaves the bar. No one comments on his odd behavior or what could be done about it. After another hour passes one by one the others start to leave the bar to head back home. There they will all think in more detail what they witnessed as well as what they know about Stanford Pines. 

The next day everyone will go on with their lives as if nothing happened. Susan will serve tables at the Diner with a smile and a laugh. Dan will flirt with his girlfriend as the two of them continue their jobs as lumberjacks. Toby will keep trying to find a profession that he’s good at that his less than attractive appearance doesn’t ruin. Sprott will keep working on his farm while being terrified that a witch will curse him. Mcgucket will go back to alternating between working in on his killer robots and bothering Stan. Bud will continue trying to become a successful cars salesman under his father’s tutelage. And Michael Valentino will keep working on dead bodies. They all will continue on with their lives never bringing up what they saw. 

And the reason why? At the end of the day everyone in Gravity Falls is weird. No one denies this nor really tries to hide it. They all have strange habits. So why should they care about the new weirdness Stan has shown? Why should any of them care that sometimes he talks to thin air as if someone was beside him, or that his eyes turn a golden yellow? So long as Mcgucket doesn’t see the later it doesn’t really cause in any issues. So they don’t comment on it. They don’t care. As far as they are concerned it only just another eccentric thing that their resident weirdo does. After all before he started offering tours they didn’t know Stanford Pines at all, did they?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am so tired


	6. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> things get a little violent so yep be warned

Entering the portal room Stan heads to the control panel. Once there he begins entering several coordinates and other information. As he enters the information the portal before him begins to glow slightly. Just as he’s about to go into the other room to pull the lever and release the energy that has built up a large surge of electricity outpours from the equipment. Luckily Stan was a good enough distance away so all got was slightly burned.

“Damn. I thought I got that fixed.” Stan curses as he looks at his burned arm.

“You alright?” Bill asks worried from his spot in the mindscape.

“Fine. I just thought maybe I could get it work this time.”

“It’s alright. Stan we’ll figure it out. It will just take time to figure out the changes Sixer made to our former design.”

“Right….It’s been a year hasn’t it?”

“What was that?”

“It’s been a year since I summoned you.”

“Ahhh. It has, hasn’t it?” 

“Yep.” Stan comments as he finishes bandaging his arm.

“We should do something for the occasion. We could throw a party!” Bill exclaims excited.

“What would we even say it’s for? Hi everyone this party is in celebration of it being a full year since I summoned a demon and about four months since I’ve started dating them too? Yeah that would pass over well.”

“We wouldn’t have to say anything. We could just throw a party.”

“I don’t know…..”

“You could charge people.”

“Hmmm. Maybe….”

Bill is about to plead the party’s case some more when an alarm goes off. Upon hearing the alarm Stan turns off everything and puts all his tools away. With a quick goodbye Bill disappears back into his realm to prepare for a party. Once the world returns to complete color Stan heads upstairs to get ready for the few tours he has scheduled for the day. Getting up there he gets cleaned up for the tourists and plays off his bandage. Walking outside with his Fez on his head he waits for the familiar shapes of either the tour bus or cars holding vacationers. 

After several moments three cars pull into the clearing as well as one of the tour buses. Smiling widely he greets each group and lets them mill around for a bit. Looking to the tour bus and seeing Markus at the wheel Stan walks over as the sightseers wander for bit. Knocking on the door to attract his attention Stan enters to talk for a minute.

“Hey Markus! I thought you said you’d be busy this week” Stan asks.

“Got my dates wrong. Its next week I won’t be here.” Markus answers.

“Gotcha. Anyway what places you going today? Can’t be the usual route I know that the big ball of yarn doesn’t open until school lets out.”

“Right about that. Nah, the only places I’m going to today is here and the Mystery Mountain.”

“Oh? You usually have a least eight stops beside mine. Taking out that old lady and whoever the ruins the mountain shouldn’t you still have another six?”

“Stan it’s only February. Kids haven’t even been let loose for Spring break yet business isn’t good this time of year.”

“Huh. Really? Business is pretty decent for me. I mean most of the tourists I’m seeing are elderly or under the age of five with parents, but hey their still customers.”

“Lucky you then. The other places either don’t open until spring break or until summer rolls around.”

“What about that Mystery Mountain place? How long do they stay open?”

“I don’t think they ever close to be honest.” 

“Dang,” Stan whispers before looking over at the vacationers, “I should probably start the tour. Bye man hope your vacation’s fun.”

“Yeah me too.” Markus mumbles under his breath.

Leaving the bus Stan strolls over to the door where the crowd is waiting. Smiling broadly Stan greets them with a tip of his Fez. Opening the door he watches as everyone goes inside. Leading them quickly into the showroom he begins his tour. With the first exhibit there is no questions, but one of the members of the tour looks unimpressed. As Stan leads the tour to the next one he keeps on eye on the young man. With each new exhibit and its story the guy seems to be getting annoyed with each one. Right as Stan is about to speak about the last creature the man finally interrupts. 

“Excuse me, but where are your live exhibits?” He sneers.

“I don’t have any, kid.” Stan answers trying to go back to the last exhibit’s story.

“Why not?”

“Because it’s hard enough to get exhibits like these to bring back something live would just make things worse. Plus if I did I wouldn’t have any guarantee that you fine folks wouldn’t get hurt.”

“I’d rather be bleeding out and interested than being bored and safe.”

“Well good for you. Why don’t you try going through the forest if you really want to see something more interesting.”

“Oh please the odds of any of these things being real is so low. You probably just make them in your basement to fool idiots like these people.”

“Alright kid I think it’s time you leave.” Stan states as he grabs the guy’s shoulder and starts leading him to the door.

“Hey you can’t do this! I paid to be here!” He screams as he is shoved out the door.

“Yeah well you also bad mouthed all the people here so I have a right to kick you out.”

“You can’t do this!”

“Kid I own this place I can. Now either leave or if you rode on the bus go wait on it.”

“What a rude young man.” An elderly man states as Stan comes back into the showroom. 

“Ehh its fine. Now back to the tour.” Stan assures as he heads back to the final beast. 

After finishing the story Stan leads them all into the gift shop. He watches as the two toddlers who came with their grandparents, race to the plush section he has set up. Smiling he walks over to them and tells the name of the creature each one is based off of to the excited little girls. After talking with the two girls the freckled one holds up the Chupacabra doll and asks for its story. Stan sits down and tells the story of how the Chupacabra was first believed to be discovered. After the story is told the other little girl holds out the plush based of the Leshy and asks for its story next. Deciding it’s only fair Stan tells what is as well as what can be done to stop it. Once finished both girls switch dolls and then run to their grandparents to ask them if they will buy the dolls.

Stan gets up from the floor laughing at the two kid’s enthusiasm. Heading over to the jewelry area he begins helping a husband man find an anniversary present for his wife. A few key questions later and Stan is helping him pick out a homemade necklace for his sweetheart. As they go over Stan’s slightly small inventory the man shows a picture of his love. Asking about the colors she usually wears Stan points him to the ‘amethyst’ section before leaving him to his choice. 

Going to the cash register Stan rings up the two plushies for the two little girls as well a book on Norse myths. Looking at the grandparents he sees an excited glint in the grandfather’s eyes and an old fond acceptance in the grandmother’s. Laughing he bags the items and takes the forty dollars they owe him. Waving goodbye he watches as the girls constantly switch which plush they are holding as they follow their grandparents. A few minutes after them Stan rings up the husband’s ‘amethyst’ crescent moon necklace for $204. Stan watches the man leave and hopes that his wife doesn’t know exactly what a real amethyst looks like.

Everyone else in the tour ends up buying at least $20 bucks in merchandise before they leave and head back to the bus/their cars. Waving goodbye Stan flips the sign to closed and heads outside to try find his brother’s last journal. Setting off in a random direction Stan begins to walk. 

I wonder if Bill is planning a party for our ‘anniversary’. It wouldn’t be too bad I guess. We could even use that large room filled with several of Sixer’s larger experiments. All I really need to do is move them and then I can turn that room into a ballroom…….Then I could throw parties whenever. It would help business and make me a lot of money too just like Bill said……. But the party would be for the ‘anniversary’ of when I first summoned him. Is that something I should really celebrate? I mean I’m grateful for his help with the portal and it’s been fun dating him, but….. he’s still another worldly being. He’s not human or even something on this plane of existence for fuck’s sake! On every one of our dates he’s either had to possess me to just really be there, or to halfway drag me into the dreamscape just for us to talk. I was practically sleep walking with the second option!

Lost in his thoughts about Bill and their ‘anniversary’ Stan never notices that he has been straying in a direction he’s already searched. Or that it’s the path that a dangerous beast lives in. Walking without focusing on the world around him Stan never sees the dark black holes watching him from a distance. Nor does he hear the warning silence of the forest around him. It is only when he smells something foul does his head come out of the clouds. 

Looking around he follows the rancid smell until he finds the slightly eaten corpse of a Basilisk. Panicking at seeing the carcass of such a deadly creature Stan turns around to escape only to run face first into the rock hard chest of black holed eyed beast from four months ago. Stepping back Stan is reminded about the three wounds he received last time that took an entire mouth to health. Moving backwards as he tries to put distance between it and him before he turns then runs. Stan quickly trips over his own feet and falls. Hitting the ground hard the beast steps closer and leans over Stan’s fallen form.

Seeing the monster raise its paralyzing claws in preparation to strike Stan throws a punch hoping to knock it off its game. However all that results in is an audible crack as Stan’s hand hits the being’s skull. Holding back a scream of pain Stan tries a different approach and tries pushing the creature away with his legs. With a lot of force Stan manages to knock the thing back a few feet. Quickly getting to his feet Stan begins running in the direction he came from. Before he can get too far however the beast claws at his back causing him to lose focus and fall back down to the ground.

When he hits the ground Stan curls into the fetal position hoping to at least slightly protect himself until he can think up a better idea. The creature won’t have any of that however and grabs Stan’s head from between his arms and begins smashing it against the still frozen ground. With each hit Stan’s thoughts get more and more muddled. After smashing against the ground for several minutes the beast stops and begins cutting deep gashes into Stan’s arms and back. Stan tries kicking the thing away from him again, but due to his head injury he keeps missing.

Finally after six attempts Stan manages to land a panic enforced kick straight into one of the creature’s legs and cracks it. Causing them to fall on the ground beside Stan. Getting up as swiftly as he can Stan staggers away into a random direction. With each step and no sign of the monster Stan begins to think he has either out maneuvered it or that the creature went the other way. This is proved false when it tackles him several yards away from where Stan left it. 

Enraged by its prey making two attempts to escape the creature begins clawing deeply into Stan’s legs. Letting out a scream from the pain Stan surprises the thing by grabbing a fist full of dirt filled snow, and shoving it into the being’s black holes for eyes. The beast screams in agony. Then it gets off of him to try and remove the snow from its eye sockets. Wracked with pain, but still somehow conscious Stan starts crawling away from the screeching beast. With each inch away from the creature his determination increases. He gets another couple yards from the thing when its cries of rage/pain cease, and speeds up his crawling as he hears the beast behind him get closer. When the creature’s growls are right behind him Stan closes his eye and awaits death.

A minute passes with no attack from the beast causing Stan to open his eyes. Lifting his head from where it was under his arms Stan turns to stare at the beast behind him. He watches as it paces an invisible line while shrieking in pure rage. Seeing that his pursuer is for some reason unable to reach him Stan breaks out into hysteric laughter. Laughing as he bleeds out from his various wounds isn’t the brightest idea, but Stan’s suffering from most likely a concussion so he has a right to not respond logically. Once the laughter exits his system Stan unstably gets to his feet. Sticking out his tongue for a moment at the beast to taunt it. Stan then turns and begins limping down the unknown path for help. 

With each step agony thrums through his system as each injury makes itself known. Focusing as much as he can with a concussion Stan moves forward slowly. As he staggers Stan begins to hear the sound of axes hitting wood. Following it hoping to find help Stan limps as quick as he can towards it. Before he can get to the source of the noise however his blood loss makes itself known and he falls to the ground as dark spots dance across his vision. Using the last of his strength to flip himself over so he’s staring at the sky Stan’s mind begins to wander.

I’m going to die here…….I’m going to die before I brought Ford back……He’ll be stuck there, and it’s all my fault. I-I’ve sent my own twin-twin to who knows where and I’m-I’m going to die bef-fore bringing him back. And Bill! He’ll b-be heart-heartbroken wh-hen he f-finds ou-ut. Wh-what if he’s-he’s wat-tching right now-w? What if-if he’s wat-tching me-e di-ie? I-I’ll nev-ver get to tell-l him that I-I maybe mi-igh-ht love him-m too. 

With tears falling from his eyes as he thinks these last thoughts Stan’s eyes lose focus. He passes out right as footsteps come closer. A scream for help rings out across the forest and pressure is placed on his wounds. Both men and women run in to help stanch the blood from continuing to leave Stan’s body. An ambulance arrives shortly afterwards and speeds away to the nearest hospital. Leaving behind a crowd of lumberjacks either staring at the road where the ambulance left on, or at the large pool of blood on the forest floor and the trail leading towards it. A few moments pass before the shock wears off and they leave one by one until only the lumberjack who found Stan’s unconscious form is the only one left. His cap hides his eyes but when he stands up a flash of yellow is revealed. 

 

Bill was planning their anniversary party. He was trying to figure what music they could play that humans would find ‘acceptable’ and not grotesque. He was planning to ask Stan’s opinion on if they could play murder in the eighth when he noticed the energy he gave Stan to seal their deal begin flickering. Turning away from his party plans he looks back into his window only to panic when he sees Stan’s form laughing hysterically while covered in his own blood. Rushing about Bill tries to find a person close enough to Stan that he can make a deal with. Spotting one such sleeping idiot Bill heads into their dreamscape to make a deal. After a quick discussion and the promise of finding something worth millions Bill gets control of the lumberjacks body. Moving quickly he heads in the direction he saw Stan in only to find him a short distance from the lumber camp. 

Attracting the attention of other lumberjacks Bill attempts to stop/slow down Stan’s bleeding. Moving aside to let others more skilled in the process of tending to wounds Bill watches as eventually an ambulance arrives and carries him off. Shaking in fear Bill remains frozen in place even after all the other lumberjacks return to work. Moments pass with just him thinking about all the possible outcomes this event could have before rage overtakes his being. Clenching his meat sack’s teeth Bill follows Stan’s blood trial until he comes across the beast still pacing at the invisible line of his territory. Looking into its black holes Bill sneers before leaning just behind the line.

“I’m going to enjoy breaking your mind while you sleep buddy,” Bill comments before walking away, “So enjoy what little of your sanity you have left while you can.”

Releasing his hold on the human after a safer distance away Bill returns to the nightmare realm to keep a look out on Stan as he’s in the hospital. Watching through his window as they work on his human Bill is filled with more rage as he thinks about how much damage was done. With each stitch placed inside Bill grinds his nonexistent teeth he begins planning on how to break that creature’s mind. Each idea is considered and either denied or fine-tuned until he has a solid plan on how to drive that beast to numb insanity. Startling him from his thoughts the doctor announces that Stan is stable and ready to be moved into a private room to rest. 

 

Seven hours pass with Bill just watching as the nurses check up on Stan to make sure he is still stable. He watches as they wake Stan up periodically, and ask a few questions to ensure he does not have any other brain damage. He watches as several people from town come into talk to Stan as he sleeps. Feeling annoyance that he can’t talk to Stan without interrupting his needed healing rest Bill goes back to planning the creature’s unpleasant fate. Feeling from the corner of his mind that the beast ignored his warning and fall asleep his eye takes on a dark glint. Whispering a ‘be back soon’ to the unaware Stan he heads off to the monster’s dreamscape.

Entering their dreamscape Bill takes a look around. Their mind has the appearance of a forest scenery through a cracked window. Muted slightly and distorted their dreamscape is surprisingly in good shape considering what they are. Wandering around Bill sees how all its memories are within the bark of the trees. As he goes Bill searches for the fear central hoping to unleash some of its own worst nightmares. Finally after about an hour in dreamscape time Bill reaches the epicenter of its mind. 

Once there Bill finds the being’s center he starts poking around for its worst fears and memories. Finding them easily enough he proceeds to rifle through them looking for the most traumatizing. As he rifles through he sets free some of the less horrible ones to go wander around and get the fun started. Finally finding a few particularly nasty ones he grabs them before leaving the fear section of its mind. Back in the beast’s main dreamscape he stops for a moment to observe the destruction those small fears are already causing. 

Shaking himself to get back to his task Bill then looks for the beast’s source of their happiest memories. Finding them in the bark of a fairly large tree he enters the bark to search for the best ones. As he goes he releases his hold on the foulest of their frights causing them to ruin any good memories they touch. Laughing as the cheerful recollections turn to something dark and horrid Bill continues his search. Upon finding the brightest Bill takes them in hand before he devours them entirely. Leaving no trace they ever existed.

Exiting the ‘good’ memories Bill looks around at the now cracked dreamscape. Laughing he leaves behind nightmares of his own creation to wreak their own havoc. As they destroy pieces of the being’s mind Bill goes along to leaving behind more little ‘gifts’ that will make themselves known when it wakes. Deciding to remind the beast why all this is happening he looks for the memory of Stan’s attack. Finding it by following the creature’s anger Bill writes message after message placing the monster’s misery on the fact that he attacked Bill’s human. Once done with that Bill exits their dreamscape completely and goes back to watching over Stan as he rests.

 

Nothing hurts. Something should hurt, right? I mean if I was alive I’d be hurting…..right? So…..does that mean I’m dead? Did I die there? I-I don’t know what’s going on. I wanna know what happened. Because if I’m dead why…..why am I not surrounded by fire or…something. Why is everything just dark? I want someone to tell me what’s going on! I-I want to know.

These are the thoughts racing through Stan’s head as he lies in his bed bandaged from head to toe. Thinking his panicked thoughts for a few more moments he ends up tearing up which attracts the attention of his attending nurse. Waking over to him quickly she leans down and takes his hand before speaking.  
“It’s alright sweetie. I know it’s scary being in an unknown place after being attacked like you were, but it’s okay now. I’m going to get the Doctor” She states with a gentle smiling before getting up, and leaving to tell the doctor he’s showing signs of waking.

I’m alive? I’m…..alive?! I survived that thing? I-I can’t believe it! I’m still alive! I still have a chance to bring Ford back! And-And I can still tell Bill that-that I love him maybe!.......Bill! Oh fuck is he okay? Was he worried about me this entire time? Or did he even know? I need to talk-talk to him. 

Calming his thoughts from their excited rampage Stan tries whispering Bill’s name. It comes out as a silent croak, but it is still heard by the dream demon who was waiting for a sign to speak with his love. Pulling Stan into the dreamscape Bill immediately increases in size and rushes to envelop Stan in his huge form. Holding Stan there for a moment Bill does nothing more than whispering how worried he was and how sorry he was about not being able to help Stan until it was almost too late.

“Wait you found me?” Stan ask as he lets Bill hold him.

“I was planning the party so I didn’t see what was going on until you already escaped that worthless little thing. I had to make a cheap deal with some lumberjack, but yeah I was the one who found you.” Bill answers still running his hand through Stan’s hair as if to assure himself Stan’s still there.

“Well then thank you for rescuing me.” Stan pauses for a moment before kissing Bill’s bricks under his eye.

“Did-did you just kiss me?”

“Yes…Is that okay?”

“Does that mean you love me back, or am I misunderstanding your gesture? I wanna be sure I don’t get the wrong idea here.” 

“I-I don’t know.”

“…….”

“I mean I’ve had fun on our dates, and I like you as a friend. But when say you love me…I don’t get butterflies or anything like that, and I don’t….. really feel any different than before.” Stan begins to ramble.

“Then why did you kiss me?” Bill questions curious as to how Stan will answer.

“I thought it would make you happy.”

“But did you want to?” 

“I didn’t mind doing it.”

“But you didn’t have any emotion behind it.”

“I wanted to make you happy. It wasn’t horrible….I just don’t see myself doing it without a good reason.”

“And you consider making me happy a good reason.”

“Yes….”

“So you don’t love me?”

“No?..... I don’t really know.” 

“Do….Do you want to stop dating?” Bill questions Stan worriedly.

“No. I like dating you, and I don’t mind hearing you say you love me. I just…don’t think I love you back.” Stan answers getting closer to Bill’s form. 

“…. So you don’t love me, but you do like my company.”

“Uh huh.”

“Ok then. I think I can work with this……How about this? We continue dating until either it makes you uncomfortable, or you find someone else if you ever do. Does that sound alright?” Bill asks.

“Yeah….I think that sounds fine.” Stan agrees as he smiles at Bill.

“Then it’s a deal.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Still tired


	7. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this chapter is sort of a mini collection of what they did over a few years. So it jumps around a bit here. Pay attention to dates and the lines.

Smiling as the last tourist leaves Stan walks back inside only to be immediately be pulled out of his own body. Floating in the Mindscape Stan watches as Bill takes control and leads Stan’s body into the kitchen. Watching with a smile Stan heads into the living room the moment he hears the popcorn popping. Waiting in the chair Stan listens as Bill begins cursing in some unknown tongue as he begins burning the popcorn. When Bill finally comes in with slightly burnt popcorn Stan bursts out laughing. Scowling at Stan’s howls of glee he gives up control after sitting down. Still scowling Bill steals some popcorn as Stan turns on the TV once his back in his own body.

“Stop laughing I was trying to do something nice.” Bill grumbles.

“I know….I just find it funny you still can’t cook popcorn.” Stan manages to get out between his laughter.

“It’s hard! I have to focus not just on keeping my incorporeal form in your puny physical self, but also on keeping that stupid kernel from combusting too much! How am I supposed to do that?!”

“No idea, but you still burned the popcorn.”

“Oh shut up Stan, and how much longer until the Doctor says you hand’s done healing?”

“Few more weeks. Doctor says even though it was just a Boxer’s fracture it was still pretty bad. So it will take the full three months to heal then another few months to finish rehabilitation. I’ve told you this six times.”

“You know Stan I know of an area where unicorns live. If you manage to get one of their horns, and grind it up you can heal that hand good as new.”

“For the last time Bill I want this to heal naturally, alright? I was ok with using that spring water or whatever on my gashes to make them heal sooner without as much scaring, but I’m drawing the line here.”

“Why? It’s the same thing.”

“Bill they were only deep lacerations in the skin. This Is Bone. I would rather let it heal naturally to make sure everything goes right.”

“I wouldn’t steer you in the wrong direction Stan.” Bill mumbles as the credits from the previous movie end.

“I know Bill,” Stan states as he reaches up to peck Bill on what is sort of his cheek, “now let’s watch the movie alright.”

Feeling appeased Bill turns to the movie as he floats up into Stan’s hair. Stan blushes as Bill practically nests in his hair. Focusing back on the movie Stan watches as the actors scream and run around as the killer slaughters them all. As the movie goes on Bill begins running his hand through Stan’s hair while they both relax. Stan mumbles as Bill’s gentle movements plus the day of working in the hut lead to him falling asleep easily. Bill hums as he lets Stan rest, and thinks about how lucky this was the result of Stan’s confession two and a half months ago instead of something else. 

 

Returning from the forest covered in mud is not how Stan wanted to spend ‘Summerween’ as the townsfolk called it. Entering the back part of the yard he grabs the hose and begins washing off the majority of the mud. Soaked but cleaner he then walks quickly into the shack hoping to make it to the bathroom without getting the house too messy. After taking a shower he changes into a simple white tank top as well as some loose fitting jeans. Sitting down Stan mumbles Bill’s name and watches as the world goes grey. 

“Hey Stan! Do we have a date tonight?” Bill asks excited.

“Nope,” Stan answers smugly, “keep guessing.”

“Hmmm. Working on the portal tonight?”

“Not until those parts get here. Try again.”

“Need some more ideas on where to find that last journal?”

“Wrong again. Do you need a hint?”

“I am a near omniscient being I don’t need a hint!”

“Check the date.”

“It’s June 21. What’s special about that? It’s not your birthday nor is it an anniversary for anything I can think of. So what is it?”

“It’s Summerween.” Stan states with a grin.

“Summerween? What the hell is that, and why should I know about it?” Bill asks annoyed that he still doesn’t know what it is.

“Apparently the people here love Halloween so much they celebrate it twice. Once today and then again on the real date.”

“Ok and……?”

“I was wondering if you will help me turn this place into a horror fest so we can scare some trick or treaters, and then steal their candy.”

“Stan I would be honored to scare some children with you.”

“Then let’s get to work. We have until 8 o’clock.” Stan comments as Bill follows out the door.

For the next four hours Stan with some assistance with Bill works on the yard and the shack’s decorations. Stan begins by putting up tombstones he ‘found’ at the Monument Company a little out of town. Next he dig holes in front of a few of the graves and then slightly buries some fake skeletons with bits of ‘flesh’ on them. After that Bill instructs Stan on how to make an extremely realistic blood substance to use to decorate the hut. Placing several ‘bloody’ handprints around the shack Stan then cleans his hand. As a final touch Stan goes inside and puts on a nice white suit then lets Bill possess him. 

Looking into the mirror Bill smiles as he stares at his willing vessel. Turning to Stan’s spirt he smiles largely before heading outside to wait suspiciously on the porch in the fading light. That night Bill scares a total of twelve children by pretending to be a demon trying to steal their soul. Stan however will beat Bill’s number by four kids as he uses the skeletons in the ‘graves’ like puppets to terrify the children into running away without their candy. At midnight they both feast on all their stolen candy while watching some crappy Halloween horror movies.

 

Stan opens his eyes and automatically knows today will be a bad day. Getting up Stan looks around hoping to figure out why his whole being feels oppressed right now. It’s only when he sees the calendar does he remember what today is. Trying to stay positive despite the date he goes to the kitchen to get some coffee. However when he gets there he ends up burning his hand while attempting to cook his breakfast and he spills his coffee all over the ground. Forcing a smile on his face Stan goes to the living room hoping to find something on TV to cheer him up, but all he finds is crappy infomercials that remind him about what the today represents. 

Finally giving into the day’s depressing feel Stan’s eyes begins to fill with tears as he curls in on himself. Tears dripping down slightly Stan remains silent as his hands slowly go to the top of his head and grab the roots of his hair. Pulling it rhythmically Stan lets loose a wail at the memories floating around his head. Clenching his eyes shut Stan keeps bawling while yanking at his long hair. So concentrated on trying to escape the memories Stan isn’t aware of when Bill arrives.

Looking around the room Bill catches sight of a calendar. Reading the date Bill winces as he realizes it is the three year anniversary of Ford’s disappearance through the portal. Sighing he floats over to Stan and stops his hair pulling. Rubbing circles in his’s skin Bill waits until Stan’s wails die down before turning his face to stare at Bill’s.

“Stan…..do you wanna talk about it?” Bill asks once he has Stan’s attention.

“….It’s been three years.” Stan mumbles out through his sniffles.

“Yes, it has.”

“I didn’t…. I thought I would have fixed that stupid thing by now!”

“I know.”

“What if Ford never survived the trip? What if Ford’s been dead this whole time while I have been living my life?”

“Stan I want you to listen to me, alright?”

“…..”

“Promise me you’ll listen to me?”

“…….promise”

“Good. Now Stan what happened three years ago today was not completely your fault. It was both yours plus Sixer’s actions that lead to the situation at hand. You need to stop blaming yourself entirely for this.”

“I can’t….”

“…….I know, but I need to feel like I’m doing something to help.”

“…..thank you for trying.”

“Is there anything I can do for you however?”

“Can you sit with me? Please Bill?............. All I want is for you to just stay here with me for as long as you can.” Stan whispers as he leans into Bill’s touch.

“Anything you want Stan.” Bill whispers as he starts rubbing protection signals in Stan’s skin instead of circles.

The rest of the day is spent in a daze for Stan as he spends most of it under the watchful eye of Bill while halfway in the dreamscape. Bill possess Stan twice throughout the day to ensure he eats and then persuades Stan to head back to his bedroom before going to sleep. Once he is in a deeper sleep Bill leaves glad that another anniversary has passed with any incident.

 

“The flyers are all up Bill.” Stan comments as he enters the equipment room.

“Flyers for what?” Bill asks with fake curiosity.

“You know what. The party!”

“For our anniversary!”

“Yes for our anniversary.”

“What reason for the party did you put on the flyers?”

“Said it was just a party. Is that alright?”

“It’s fine, Stan. Now all we need to do is get this room ready.”

“Yep. So let’s get to work.” Stan states as he begins wheeling the equipment into another room not in use.

It takes hours but Stan eventually safely removes all of Sixer’s machinery. Next he gives control to Bill to hang up the lights and then coat the walls with glitter. Once that’s done Stan wheels in the DJ gear he ordered. Setting it up Stan does a quick test run before calling it good. Smiling at the finished product Stan goes to get on a nicer outfit. Dressed to impress Stan goes outside to wait for guests to arrive. One by one folks from town begin arriving and pay a small fee to enter the party. After collecting a fee from each party goer Stan enters the party himself. From there it begins.

Working the DJ equipment Stan begins blasting a mix of disco and rave music as the others dance. Nova drags her boyfriend on the dancefloor to dance a butchered version of the hustle with her phoenix feather illuminating her crimson hair like a flame. Next to enter the dance floor is Lazy Susan and Ms. Cutebiker who do the simple dance of the bump. Not wanting to be outdone by Nova and Dan, Michael Valentino asks his girlfriend Kari to dance the salsa on the dancefloor. Ma and Pa begin doing a bit of the Charleston despite it not fitting the music. Stan watches as everyone gets into the music to either dance in a style that died years ago or to just go have fun with it.

Laughing at some of the ridiculous moves he’s seeing Stan increases the volume of the music. With the sound vibrating through the air everyone is enjoying the party and dancing up a storm. After a few minutes of this Bill possess Stan and drags his displaced spirit onto the dancefloor. Once there Bill proceeds to dance a free form version of the twist. Despite not being able to see the fact that he is dancing with someone everyone is cheering at the movies ‘Stan’ is pulling off. The party ends early in the morning with everyone laughing as they leave to go home. However once everyone departs the song changes to something softer as Bill and Stan continue to dance together. 

“So much better than our first anniversary.” Stan whispers as they continue slow dancing.

“Agreed.” Bill whispers back as he pecks Stan’s ethereal cheek.

 

“Welcome one and all to the Murder Hut! Step right up and see wonders beyond your imagination.” Stan exclaims as he leads the group of tourists into the shack.

“Why do you call it the Murder Hut?” A middle aged woman sneers as her son looks around excited.

“Oh simple. Everyone who’s ever lived here dies after a few weeks.”

“Then how come you’re still alive?”

“I made a deal with the being who keeps killing everyone.”

“Prove it.”

“Fine.” 

Closing his eyes Stan follows the tug as Bill pulls him out to possess him. Once free of his normal body Stan floats up to the light switch where he left a puppet there for a situation just like this. Taking control of the puppet Stan begins flicking the lights and moaning through the puppets mouth filling the room with a creepy atmosphere. Bill playing along makes Stan’s body begin shaking before collapsing to the ground. After a few minutes both stop and Bill gets up and opens his eyes. The ground gasps as his yellow silted eyes stare deep into their own. The mother is about to comment how fake all that was when Bill’s voice chills everyone to the bone.

"̪̤͕̻Y҉͖̳͉͎o͕u̼̻̞̥̞̬͜ ̷̣̦da̳̺r̙̬̱̺̹e͚͈̠̻͙̪͟ ͈͡ḓ̰͍̝̥̭̗͢i̯̥s̮̩̯̱̯t̫̳̼͙̮͙u͏rb̻̻̘̼̫͢ ̪͕̝̳̰m̴̲̰͔̜y̼̦̯̙͓̠ ̗̫̼̤̩̖͍͜r͙̟̳e͚͔s͝t͎̖͖͕̪ͅ?͙̳̝"̵̰͇̦͉ Bill screams out through Stan’s mouth as the Stan adjusts the thermostat with another puppet. 

Every one stares at ‘Stan’ before running out of the building screaming in terror. Both Bill and Stan laugh as they all head back to their cars to drive off in terror. Watching as the cars speed off onto the road both tricksters try to calm down their laughter. Catching his breath Bill turns to Stan with a smile on his borrowed face as he reaches for Stan’s spirit. Pulling Stan back into his own body Bill floats outside to keep talking to Stan.

“That was hilarious Stan.” Bill states as more laughter bursts forth at the memory. 

“I know it was the perfect way to spend the day.” Stan mumbles still laughing. 

“So how much did you charge for the ‘tour’?”

“$20 bucks each.”

“Nice…… You know Halloween is coming up in a few weeks, and we’re going to need a new gimmick this year.”

“I’m been talking with a statue maker outside of town and she says she’ll give me several kid statues on the cheap.”

“You’re going to do a type of Medusa like thing aren’t you?!”

“Yep. Making a wig of fake snakes is easy enough and you can do a great scary voice as that just proved.”

“And what will you be doing during all of this?”

“Using a puppet to activate a sound system full of whispers from the stoned kids.”

“Have I told you I love you yet today?” Bill asks with adoration clearly in his eye.

“Nope.” Stan answers with a grin.

“I love you and your devious mind.”

“Thank you. Ooh look its Markus’s tour bus you wanna do a low key version of what we just did?”

“I thought you’d never ask.”

 

It’s dark where Stan eyes opens his eyes. Feeling something sticky on his arms Stan looks down to see himself stuck in some sort of cocoon. Shifting his form Stan tries breaking out of the cocoon with brute force. After several hours of trying Stan stops exhausted and leans against the walls of the cocoon. Just as he’s about to call Bill to see if he can help light begins shining against other silk trapped skeletons. Beginning to worry about his fate Stan’s eyes flinch shut as a massive amount of light fills the room. Blinking his eyes open Stan sees before him the woman who met him when he asked about the Mystery Mountain. Glaring as the blonde haired and darkly tanned woman Stan begins shouting.

“What the hell is your deal? All I wanted to know was why you stayed open all year! Is that really worth kidnapping someone over?!” Stan shouts in rage mixed with slight panic.

“My deal is that I eat men. They are my food source. So of course I have to stay open all year.” Darlene deadpans with a smile.

“Why would you eat men?”

“I don’t eat all men just jerks.”

“Ok….Not saying I’m not a jerk, but can you please not kill me?”

“Why shouldn’t I?”

“Because if you do my significant other just might make you go insane.”

“Your….significant other? You mean to tell me You have a girlfriend.”

“Yes. Well no. He’s not a girl but he’s not technically a boy by common definition either so…..”

“Then what are they?”

“A nearly omniscient incorporeal being of the mind.”

“What are you on?” Darlene asks slightly worried to eat him now.

“Nothing, but I am serious. He will get revenge.” Stan comments.

“Oh?”

“Yep, on our first anniversary of our meeting I was attacked by this….. thing in the woods. While I was in the hospital he must have done something because the next time when I was in the woods a few weeks later I ran into it. I thought I was going to have to duke it out again only for it to drop to the ground and scream in fear. So yeah pretty sure that he did something to it.”

“I see and how do I know you’re telling the truth?”

“Oh I am, but I don’t need him to get revenge for me.” 

After speaking Stan manages to grab the pocket knife he keeps in his pocket. Using it to cut his way out he then rushes to attack Darlene. Avoiding his lunge just barely Darlene quickly turns into her stronger spider form. Seeing that he is outclassed at least in this environment Stan runs towards the area where most of the light is coming from. Once outside he turns to head back to his car in the parking lot. With Darlene close behind he fumbles to put on his knuckle dusters. When he gets them on Stan suddenly stops and pouches Darlene in the face with his metal guarded fist. Not staying around Stan goes back to running until he feels the asphalt under his feet. Entering his car he drives off as Darlene screams at him from the entrance. 

“Thank you for letting me handle that Bill.” Stan whispers as he looks into the now grey window.

“No problem Stan! But had she gotten any closer I was going to possess you and then summon some zombies to take her out.” Bill states completely serious as they drive back to the cabin.

 

Waking up Stan heads downstairs to make some breakfast. Once there Stan finds a note from Bill on the coffee machine. Reading the note Stan learns that for today and most of tomorrow Bill will be catching up on the few deals he ignored to spend time with Stan for the past five years. Smiling as he reads Bill’s final line Stan begins making his breakfast to start the new day. Beginning with the coffee Stan starts up the machine before cooking some eggs while he waits for the coffee to finish. Scrambling the eggs and adding a little cheese Stan finishes his cooking his meal just as the coffee machine goes off. Sitting down to eat Stan begins thinking on what he can do today since Bill is gone.

Well working on the portal’s out. I still need his help with the sequencing to form the portal to the correct location. So what else can I do? I could open the shack today, but it’s January so I might not get anybody. I could go looking for the last journal……but maybe I should wait until I have Bill watching my back in case something goes wrong. What does that leave me with? I don’t like watching horror movies unless Bill’s here to laugh at them with. The Duchess Approves isn’t on today. So what should I do?.......Maybe I could go walk through the town. Talk to people get to know them better……Yeah that sounds like a good idea.

Stan finishes his thoughts as he heads to his bathroom to get cleaned up and then get dressed. Dressed up in a simple shirt, some loose jeans, and his red jacket Stan heads out to spend the day in town. Driving across the icy roads Stan barely keeps control of his vehicle as he speeds up to get to town even quicker than he probably should. Managing to only crash into a lamppost just slightly Stan gets out to walk around. As he walks he sees the Gleeful car lot and how Bud is on duty. Grinning ear to ear Stan walks over and taps Bud on the shoulder.

“Hey Bud. How’s work?” Stan asks simply.

“Good. What are you doing here Mr. Pines?” Bud asks nervously.

“Well I figured I’d walk through town while my Hut’s closed and I saw you were on duty.”

“Huh. So um what did you want to talk about?”

“I just wanted to make sure you weren’t going to get screwed over by your customers when you tried to make a sale.”

“No I won’t. My dad taught me well.”

“Alright well remember if somethings wrong with the car make it seem like they should pay extra for it!” Stan yells out as he leaves with Bud’s wallet in his pocket.

“Sure thing Mr.- Hey where’s my wallet!” Bud screams out as he begins searching himself.

Laughing to himself Stan drops the wallet now empty of cash on the ground for Bud to find later. Deciding to go to the diner next Stan orders two burgers as he sits down and chats with Susan for a bit. As they talk he gives her the left over spring water he has saying that it should help fix her eye if she really wants too. Thanking him with a piece of free pie Susan then goes to wait on another customer. While she is gone Stan begins eating one of the burgers. Once finished he grabs a to-go box and places both pie and the burger inside. Leaving enough of the money he stole from Bud to pay for the food he then leaves the diner.

Walking through the town careful not to drop the box he’s carrying Stan heads to the junkyard. Upon entering the dump he begins calling Mcgucket’s name hoping that he hasn’t left the junkyard for the day. Reaching the center home inside the dump Stan knocks on what passes for Mcgucket’s door. Peeking out from some over turned scrap Mcgucket proceeds to tackle hug Stan’s legs. Luckily Stan somehow keeps his balance and the food doesn’t go flying.

“Sorry I haven’t come by in a few months.” Stan mumbles guilt heavy in his voice as he hands over the food.

“Don’t fret none Stan I’m fine!” Mcgucket states as his eyes light up when they see the burger and slice of pie.

“It’s for you. Hope you don’t mind banana cream.” 

“It’s perfect Stan thank you.” Mcgucket whispers as he begins to tear up slightly.

“And um here it’s not much but it should help you pay for some food at the diner for a few days at least.” Stan mumbles as he gives the rest of the money he stole from Bud.

“You don’t have too.”

“I know but I would feel a lot better if you took it.”

“At least let me help you with something. I’d hate for you just to give me money with nothing in return.”

“Mcgucket that’s not necessary.”

“Please? You’ve been so nice let me help you?”

“Alright ummm well I’ve been looking for anything strange in the forest to put in my shack, any ideas?” 

“Well it’d be hard to get in through the door, but what about a metal tree!”

“A metal tree…..where is there a metal tree?!” 

“There’s one pretty close to your home. It’s easy enough to find. Just start hitting trees or run into them!” Mcgucket bursts out laughing.

“Thanks Mcgucket! I’ll see you later alright!” Stan yells as he runs out to get home and search for this metal tree.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Bill's translation  
> You dare disturb my rest!


	8. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> its the end

Swerving into the clearing Stan slams on the brakes as he finally gets back to the shack. Grabbing the shovel he’s left outside Stan begins hitting the trees around the home with the metal part of the tool hoping to hear the sound of metal on metal. Never straying too far from the shack Stan keeps searching. Going a little off to the side Stan finally hears what he’s been looking for. The sound of metal striking something other than bark. Looking closely at the ‘bark’ Stan finds a thin seem and wedging the shovel’s edge into it he attempts to force it open. Busting open a door Stan finds inside not a journal like he was expecting, but some sort of switch box. 

Frowning Stan begins flipping one of the switches. Hearing nothing in the general area happen Stan turns his attention to the other switch. Flipping it Stan hears a faint whoosh noise as if something was opening. Turning around Stan sees that a panel in the ground itself has opened up. Falling to his knees Stan reaches into the hole and pulls out his brother’s final journal. Running his fingers over the golden six-fingered hand Stan’s eyes begin filling up with tears. Clutching the book to his chest Stan’s eyes clench shut as a wobbly smile spreads across his face. A loud sob of relief escapes his mouth as he thinks about how he’ll finally bring Ford back.

I finally found it! I-I found this stupid thing! After so long and so many injuries I have it in my hands. I need to thank Mcgucket. I mean if he never told me who knows how long this stupid thing would have been there? And Ford! The way he hide it was almost perfect. I mean the panel was completely level with the ground and covered with fake grass so it blended in!........I never would have found it. I really need to think Mcgucket for this……but first I need to-to get Ford back. I need to get him back.

Shaking his head to clear his thoughts Stan staggers to his feet. Wiping his eyes he heads back to the shack on unsteady legs. Entering the cabin he goes to the bookshelf and manages to pull the right book to activate the opening mechanism. Walking slowly to insure he doesn’t trip Stan makes it safely down the stairs despite his unsteady legs. Next he enters the elevator and with quivering hands pushes the button for the bottom floor. Waiting there breathing irregularly Stan is hardly able to keep calm as he thinks about bringing his brother home. Starting when the ding sounds Stan rushes out of the elevator as fast as he can, and heads to the desk where the other journals lie. 

With his wobbly hands he opens the last journal’s pages to find the portal pages dead center. Placing the open book down next to its siblings he then opens the others so he can match up all the pages. Turning the books slightly Stan manages to complete the puzzle piece that is the portal’s blueprints. His shaky grin explodes into something hysterical as he begins reading the information that will let him activate the portal. Turning to the empty fuel tank Stan remembers that he needs nuclear waste before he can truly activate it. Going towards the closet Stan pulls out a radiation suit and grabs it. Heading upstairs with his cargo in hand Stan gets in his car to go to a somewhat nearby nuclear power plant to get his fuel. 

 

It’s a quiet few hours as Stan drives to the plant. After finally getting there Stan sneaks in after putting the radiation suit on. Once in he begins searching for the area where they store the waste they don’t use. As he searches the building he runs into many of the security guards, but fortunately for Stan they think he is one of the scientists in the faculty. Finally after another three hours he finds the room in which they store the nuclear waste. Deciding that about ten should be enough Stan tries to think of a way to get them out of here. Fate is on his side when he sees that the room has a large garage type door to allow trucks to come in and remove the waste. Barricading the door Stan opens the loading door and exits it to get his car. 

Once outside he sees dozens of large trucks designed to carry the waste. Breaking into one of them then hotwiring it Stan backs it up and then wheels in ten barrels full of nuclear waste. After finishing Stan drives it out and closes the door. Driving the truck to where he stashed his car Stan then proceeds to crudely tie his car to the back of the truck so that it will trail behind him as he drives. Checking once last time to make sure it’s as stable as it’s going to be Stan gets back to the cab of the truck to drive away. As he pulls away from the plant he begins to hear the security alarm. Speeding up Stan begins the long drive back to the shack.

 

Pulling into the cabin’s clearing at 2 in the morning Stan first unties his car and parks it off to the side. Then still wearing the radiation suit he begins unloading the truck of its nuclear waste. Once they are all inside he begins bringing them downstairs. After all the barrels of waste are downstairs in the portal room Stan heads back up to get rid of the truck. Grabbing a large brick from the side of the house he places it in passenger side before driving out of the clearing. Driving the truck to the top of the cliff overlooking the old mineshaft tracks he puts it in park and opens his door. Picking up the brick from the other seat Stan then gets out of the car. Reaching over and putting the car back in drive he then tosses the brick at the gas petal. Lunging away from the truck as quick as he can Stan watches as the truck goes over the edge to the ground below. 

Breathing heavily Stan begins the long trek back to the shack. As he goes he begins to hear the wildlife finish their nighttime routines. Walking along he sees the two gorgons sitting back to back against each other with their snakes mixing together. He hears their voices as they speak to each other like old friends without worry of turning the other to stone. Passing them by he looks down to avoid their killing gaze. He speeds up his pace when he begins hearing hissing following him. Its takes another hour before he ends back up in Gravity Falls. Once there he heads down the road to get back to the hut. When he finally gets there it is already 6:00 a.m.

Heading back downstairs he pours the nuclear waste in its fuel tank. Now all fueled up Stan can finally start up the portal. Rereading the correct sequence to activate it Stan enters all the necessary data and watches as power surges into the panel. Smiling he runs out to pull the lever to send and activate the energy heading to the portal. With a strong tug the symbols on the outside ring begin lighting up one by one. As they light in their specific order Stan notices several small items around the room floating for a few precious moments before falling to the ground. Once all the symbols are lit up a small blue mass with a slight rainbow outline forms in the center of the portal.

Laughing Stan begins jumping around in pure exhilaration as he sees the portal as it commences its long start up process. Still thrilled he walks back into the control room planning to wait out the process there. Despite being as excited as he is about the working portal Stan quickly becomes bored just sitting there. Deciding to find something to entertain himself with Stan picks up his brother’s second journal to read through it more than just reading the page for summoning Bill or the portal pages. Reading the pages about spells and enchanted objects while interesting become worrying. Each page was written with enthusiasm just like Ford’s first one, but all the spells he found were mostly dark in nature. Stan started even biting his lip when he saw the spell for mind control. Taking a break from his reading Stan becomes lost in his thoughts. 

Where did Ford even find spells like these? I mean they’re so dark! There’s one for necromancy, then you got you blood rain summoning, your inferno spells, and so many more that are so weird to think of my brother wanting to learn. Why would he care about spells like these? Why would he want these in his head? Then again you don’t really know him anymore do you? After all this time he might as well as be a stranger to you. He wouldn’t even come to you for help until he was already so paranoid.

Looking to the portal’s countdown and seeing it’s still a long way to go Stan gets up to go upstairs to spend a little time away from the disturbing 2nd journal. Going up the elevator to the living room he finally takes off the suit he has been wearing, without noticing it, for the last few hours. Grabbing his jacket he heads out to take a breather outside. As he stands out there Stan feels the cold air on his skin and he breaths deeply. Calmer now Stan is about to go downstairs again when he sees a cop car from out of town pull inside his clearing. Walking up to the man who exited the car Stan raises his eye brow in question as he greets the officer.

“Hello, can I help you?” Stan asks a little concerned that his theft at the plant has already been discovered.

“Yes you can sir,” The officer begins as he looks around with a grimace, “last night several barrels of nuclear waste were stolen from the nuclear power plant nearby. The truck they were stolen in was last seen in this area. I’ve been going to every house in the path we believe it took and asking those that live there if they’ve seen anything…… So have you seen everything?”

“Hmmm. You know now that I think about it I do remember seeing a truck yesterday.”

“Do you know which way it went?”

“Yeah I remember which way it went.”

“Well?..... Which way?”

“I went out here to smoke when I see this big ass truck heading towards the mineshaft tracks.”

“The mineshaft tracks alright where might those be?”

“Just go to the mountain with the weird crack in it and look down.”

“I’m afraid I don’t understand?”

“The mineshaft tracks are suspended in air between the cliffs that form the crack.”

“So you’re saying if they were heading to the mineshaft tracks….”

“I tried to tell him that he was going the wrong way, but I guess they didn’t hear me.”

“I see…….. Well think you for your help.”

“No problem. Have a nice day officer.” Stan states as the cop gets back into his car and drives away.

Sighing once the cop’s car is no longer visible Stan thanks his lucky stars that the cop seemed to believe his lie. Walking back inside Stan grabs a drink and checks the time. Seeing that it’s almost 10’o clock right now Stan sets his alarm to 2 p.m. so he can go catch a quick nap. Laying down in his bed Stan closes his eyes and tries to fall asleep. Dreaming of screams and spells Stan tosses fitfully as he naps. While he sleeps two gravity anomalies happen causing him to float above his bed and hit the ceiling. Everyone else however is raised into the sky for minutes at a time before they crash back to the ground with a thud. Looking around in alarm all the townsfolk beginning preparing for a disaster.

 

His alarm goes off waking Stan up from his fitful sleep. Getting up Stan heads back downstairs to check on the portal. Walking into the main room Stan sees how the rainbow coloring has grown in size while the blue part slowly is turning white and remains only in the middle. Heading back to the control room Stan goes over all the data again checking to make sure nothing’s happened while he fall asleep. Once he finishes he goes back to the desk with Ford’s journals on them.

Pushing aside the second one Stan picks up the third one hoping that’s it better than the last one. With each page turned Stan begins to see that this is when Ford’s paranoia began getting the best of him. Stan spends hours reading his brother’s entries with growing apprehension with each nonsensical code and random joke he finds just thrown in on all the creature entries. However nothing prepares him for the page dedicated to Bill Cipher.

Seeing the red substance on the pages Stan lifts up the book and sniffs the paper. Shock fills his being when he recognizes the coper scent of blood faintly left on the page. Hands shaking Stan starts reading the blood stained page. With each word of fear induced insanity Stan remembers how adamant Bill was about not looking for this journal without him there. Finally finishing the page Stan releases his hold on the journal and lets his thoughts consume him.

He can’t be trusted……He….Can’t……Be…..Trusted. You made a deal with a dream demon……. A demon that broke your brother’s mind. No wonder Ford was so scared…….He was checking your eyes to see if you were possessed……You trusted him….. You believed him when he said he loved you…….When he said he cared…..How could you be so stupid! How could you……fall for his lies?

Stan sits there for hours thinking about how Bill lied to him, and most likely has been trying to use the portal for something other than bringing Ford back. Trembling at his discovery Stan looks to the portal seeing that he only has a few more hours before it finishes powering up. Turning back to the journals he starts searching through all of them as quickly as he can for something to stop Bill. It’s only after glimpsing a page about unicorns does he discover a method. Grabbing the 1st journal Stan heads upstairs and then out the door to get a unicorn’s hair for the protection spell.

Tripping over his own feet as he runs Stan finally reaches the circle where you can summon the door to the unicorn home world. Opening the 1st journal back to the unicorn page Stan reads in his deepest voice the incantation to summon the door. While croaking out the spell Stan watches a large door form from the ground. Once finished Stan knocks on the door and then walks in. Before him he sees a medium sized horse with a pale white coat and a rainbow mane as well as a long horn on the top of its head. Swallowing nervously Stan walks closer to the unicorn. 

“Hello human, I am Celestabellebethabelle and I am the last of my kind.” Celestabellebethabelle states as she stares with her sparkling eyes shining in the light.

“Oh um sorry about that.” Stan mentions still nervous and trembling with threat of Bill hanging over his head.

“I have gotten used to this lonely existence. Now what can I do for you?”

“I-I need some of your hair. Not a lot! I swear I just need a few long strands.”

“Well I am afraid I can only give my hair to those pure of heart.”

“What?....... How the hell is that a fair stipulation! Nobody’s completely pure of heart!”

“I’m sorry it is the rules.”

“No look I need some of your hair ok?! There’s this dream demon I know and once he figures out I know what he is he’ll probably kill me. So please I just a need a little of your hair to create the ward.”

“Look. I’m not giving you my hair. You’re not pure of heart and I don’t even need to my horn to know that so go away. Knowing a demon honestly.”

“Alright, now I’m going to go ahead and say sorry but….” Stan starts but stops as he lunges at Celestabellebethabelle.

Jumping out of the way at the last minute Celestabellebethabelle avoids Stan’s attempt to rip her hair out of her head. Glaring now at the human who dares try and take her hair by force Celestabellebethabelle then charges at Stan with her head lowered like a jouster with their javelin. Stan lurches out of the way and hits the ground hard. Shaking his slightly dazed vision Stan scarcely manages to roll out of the way as she comes charging over hoping to stop him into the ground with her hooves. Pulling out his knuckle dusters Stan turns ready to fight only to see two other unicorns join Celestabellebethabelle on the other side of the field. 

“Oh come on?! You weren’t even telling the truth about being the last of your kind? Can you even see if someone’s ‘pure of heart’ or was that a lie too?” Stan screams out in equal parts rage and terror.

“No we can’t, but you attacked me first so this is revenge!” Celestabellebethabelle shouts as all three of them charge at Stan.

Forced to flee from the rampaging unicorns Stan has to run through the door back into the forest. Stan’s breathing gets heavy as he watches the door that held his chance of safety return to its home in the ground. Staggering back to the shack Stan’s mind goes blank as he thinks about what’s going to happen now that the portal’s almost activated. Entering the shack Stan heads back down to the portal room to see how much longer he has on the countdown. Staring at the data Stan learns that in about two hours the portal will finally completely activate. 

As he looks over the data he keeps thinking about how he trusted Bill. How he believed him when he said they were friends. How….he thought Bill loved him. Tears form in his eyes as he thinks about how yet another person said they cared about him only for it to turn out they were just lying so they could use him to do their dirty work. Getting up Stan goes to watch the final hour of the portal starting up right up close and personal. Sitting down on the line right before the danger zone Stan watches as the blue center wholly turns white in color. He stares deep into the center as with each minute that passes by the white center turns somehow turns into the void of space. All of a sudden parts of the world go grey instead of shining with the light from the portal. Bill stares at his human as Stan just keeps staring into the forming portal with worry in his eye.

“I see you found the final journal. Sixer’s going to be back soon. Aren’t you happy?” Bill asks already knowing how Stan will respond.

“…..Yeah really happy.” Stan smiles weakly.

“You read my page in the third journal didn’t you.”

“Did you have to do it?”

“You’ll have to be more specific Stan I’ve done a lot of things.”

“Did you have to make me think you loved me?”

“Stan I-”

“Couldn’t you have just said you were a friend who wanted to help? Did-Did you have to make me think that you loved me?”

“Stan… No I do! I do love you! Stan I wasn’t lying about that. I wouldn’t do that to you.”

“Stop lying! You just want this stupid thing working for some reason, but I can’t stop that because I need it working too so I can bring back Sixer and….and” Stan screams only to break down crying.

“Stan… Okay you want me to be honest I’ll be honest. I admit it I was using you at first. I needed this portal to activate after a long period of time pasted so a rift could form, and so I could enter this dimension from my own.” Bill states as he floats down to Stan’s level to hold his hand.

“….Stop it….”

“When you summoned me my first goal was to distract you long enough so that the rift forming would actually happen if you turned it on…….But then I was spending so much time with you I couldn’t help but fall for you.”

“Stop lying…..”

“Stan I do care for you. More than I’ve ever cared for anyone else. I know you don’t love me back and I know you never will, but I want you stay with me. I’ll keep happy and I’ll lay the world at your feet.” Bill states before grabbing Stan’s hand in a tight grip.

“What are you doing?” Stan asks with fear in his voice.

“Our deal is still active Stan.”

“What-what?”

“Remember you said ‘How about you can only possess me until I bring Ford back safe and sound’. Your brother’s not back yet, Stan meaning…..”

Stan’s eyes go wide as he figures out what Bill means and tries yanking his hand out of Bill’s grip. Pulling his spirit quickly from Stan’s body Bill takes control. Grabbing ahold of the trembling spirit before him Bill pulls him close to his stolen chest. Trying and failing to get free Stan leans into Bill’s hold finally letting go of the tears held in his eyes. They both stand there as the portal enters the final thirty minutes before complete activation. Bill stares through the doorway into the void of space as if searching for something. Stolen eyes lighting up as if he found what he was looking for he lifts up Stan’s ghostly chin and kisses his lips gently before jumping into the void with Stan in tow. As they both disappear through the gateway the world returns to its full color as the effect Bill had on it disappears.

Outside the world all seems to be going to hell. The sky has become a dark red as if bleeding and gravity is constantly failing everywhere. The townsfolk all run to hide in their basements or their friend’s basements hoping to survive whatever disaster is coming their way. The minutes tick down until there’s none left. With one last gravity anomaly everything goes into the air and just hangs there. Everything floats perfectly still even time seems to stop. A bright light fills the world before everything crashes down.

In the portal room everything is destroyed and wrecked. Even the portal itself is broken and on the ground. But the gateway is still open. It fades and flickers, but it remains open for anyone to come through. Running through comes a man in a tattered trench coat. Collapsing to the ground the figure breaths heavily as he lies on there. The last of the fuel runs out and the doorway closes with one last flicker. Shakely standing the figure looks around revealing a cleft chin and extremely floofy hair. Running a six-fingered hand through his puffed-up hair Ford walks around the room as if searching for something missing. Face showing his confusion at what’s wrong, Ford walks into the control room to see his three journals on his old desk opened to the pages for the portal’s blueprints. Staring at the first journal Ford is reminded about how he fell into the portal in the first place. Finally realizing what is wrong with the picture around him Ford begins looking for his brother.

“Stan where are you?” Ford shouts throughout the room as he goes back into the main room to search under the ceiling rubble and machinery.

“Stanley! Where are you!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hope you liked the story enjoy your day or night. Whatever it is.  
> 

**Author's Note:**

> Bill's translations in order  
> Didn't expect to be back here so soon. The names Bill Cipher what can I do for you Stanley Pines?  
> Let me guess you need help restarting that portal, huh? Am I right or am I right?  
> Well giving information was a part of my deal with Sixer. Speaking of deals.  
> How about I help you with the portal and in return I can take control of you every once in awhile, sound like a deal?  
> Yep, just like it. So what do you say Stan Pines?  
> Heh, it's not often I get someone smart enough to put stipulations on a deal with me.  
> Well if I didn't, who knows how long it would take you to fix that thing.  
> Until we bring that brother of yours back.


End file.
